blessing
B1Formal, semi-formal, religious, everyday
Definition
Meaning
Something that is considered a benefit, gift, or source of help, often viewed as coming from a divine source or good fortune.
A prayer asking for divine favor; approval or good wishes for a venture; something that provides happiness or well-being.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a count noun (e.g., 'count your blessings'). Can be used as an uncountable abstract noun meaning 'approval' (e.g., 'with your blessing'). The religious sense is foundational but the secular use ('this rain is a blessing for the garden') is common.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences in idiom frequency. British English may use 'give your blessing' slightly more in formal contexts of permission. American English has a stronger association with the colloquial interjection 'Bless you!' after a sneeze.
Connotations
Largely identical. Both carry religious and secular connotations. The phrase 'a blessing in disguise' is equally common.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both varieties. Slightly higher in American English corpora, likely due to greater prevalence of religious discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
give [someone] your blessing (for/on something)ask for [someone]'s blessingcount [something] as a blessingwith the blessing of [someone]a blessing for [someone/something]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a blessing in disguise”
- “give one's blessing”
- “count one's blessings”
- “a mixed blessing”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically for favorable market conditions or regulatory approval. 'The new tax law was a blessing for small enterprises.'
Academic
Used in religious studies, anthropology, and sociology to describe rituals or concepts of divine favor.
Everyday
Very common for expressing gratitude for good things. 'Good health is the greatest blessing.'
Technical
Not typically used in hard sciences. May appear in theology or pastoral care contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The vicar will bless the new community centre.
- She asked the priest to bless her wedding ring.
American English
- The pastor blessed the food before the meal.
- He blessed the crowd before departing.
adverb
British English
- It's blessedly quiet now the construction has finished.
- He was blessedly unaware of the trouble.
American English
- The meeting was blessedly short.
- She is blessedly free from worry.
adjective
British English
- She felt truly blessed to have such friends.
- A blessed event like the birth of a child.
American English
- We're blessed with good weather today.
- It was a blessed relief when the noise stopped.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My family is my greatest blessing.
- The priest gave a blessing.
- Good weather is a real blessing for our picnic.
- Having a supportive boss can be a real blessing in your career.
- They got married with their parents' blessing.
- The rain was a blessing for the farmers.
- The new law is a mixed blessing; it helps consumers but hurts small businesses.
- Losing that job was a blessing in disguise, as it pushed him to start his own company.
- The ceasefire, however fragile, must be counted as an unequivocal blessing for the war-weary population.
- He undertook the expedition with the full blessing of the academic board, though not without personal misgivings.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a priest saying 'BLESS' over a RING. The ring becomes a BLESSING, a gift of good fortune.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOOD IS UP / A GIFT FROM ABOVE (e.g., 'showered with blessings'), APPROVAL IS A TOKEN (e.g., 'gave his blessing').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'благословение' only in the religious sense. The secular 'blessing' (benefit) is often 'польза', 'преимущество', or 'удача'.
- The phrase 'a blessing in disguise' is an idiom and does not translate literally. Equivalent: 'скрытое благо' or 'неприятность, обернувшаяся удачей'.
- 'With my blessing' means 'with my permission/approval' (c моего одобрения), not just a religious act.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect article use: 'It is blessing' instead of 'It is a blessing'.
- Confusing plural/singular: 'He gave his blessings' (awkward) vs. 'He gave his blessing' (idiomatic for approval).
- Using as a verb: 'I blessing you' instead of the verb form 'I bless you'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'blessing' used to mean 'official approval or support'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its origin is religious, it is very commonly used in a secular way to mean 'a welcome benefit or advantage' (e.g., 'The quiet neighbourhood is a blessing').
A 'benefit' is a neutral term for an advantage. A 'blessing' carries a stronger connotation of something being gratefully received, often unexpectedly or as a special favor, and can imply a deeper sense of good fortune.
Use it to describe something that seems bad or unfortunate at first but later results in a good outcome. Example: 'Failing the exam was a blessing in disguise because it made me study harder for the retake, which I passed with a higher grade.'
No, 'blessing' is the noun and present participle/gerund form. The verb is 'to bless' (e.g., 'I bless you'). You can say 'He is blessing the food,' where 'blessing' is part of the verb phrase.