Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Made holy; consecrated: Describes something or someone that has been declared sacred or holy, often through a religious rite or by divine favor.
   • Endowed with divine favor and protection; fortunate: Describes a state of being fortunate, happy, or enjoying good fortune, often with an implication of divine grace.
   • (Informal, euphemistic) Used as an intensifier, sometimes to express mild annoyance or emphasis: Used informally to add emphasis, often in contexts of frustration or surprise, replacing stronger curse words.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective (Holy/Fortunate):
  • The priest blessed the water, making it blessed water for the ceremony.
  • They felt blessed to have such a loving family.
  • She considered her recovery a blessed event.
• Adjective (Informal intensifier):
  • I can't find my blessed keys anywhere!
  • He hasn't done a blessed thing to help.

Advanced Usage

• "Blessed are...": A formulaic phrase often found in religious texts, especially the Beatitudes, to declare a state of divine favor or happiness.
  • "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
• "Blessed with": To be endowed with a desirable quality or possession.
  • She was blessed with both intelligence and kindness.
• "Blessed relief": A feeling of great relief or comfort.
  • The cool breeze was a blessed relief after the heat.

Variants and Related Words

• Bless (verb): To make holy or to ask for divine favor upon someone or something.
  • The rabbi will bless the new home.
• Blessing (noun):
  • A prayer asking for divine favor.

    • They said a blessing before the meal.
  • Something that brings happiness or good fortune; approval.

    • Having good health is a great blessing.
    • They got their parents' blessing to marry.
• Blessedness (noun): The state of being blessed, especially in a spiritual sense; happiness.
  • He spoke of the blessedness of a simple life.

Synonyms

• Holy, sacred, consecrated (for the religious sense).
• Fortunate, lucky, favored (for the fortunate sense).
• (For informal use) Darned, blasted, confounded.

Related Phrases

• A blessing in disguise: Something that seems bad at first but results in something good.
  • Losing that job was a blessing in disguise, as it led to a better career.
• Count one's blessings: To be grateful for the good things one has.
  • When times are hard, it helps to count your blessings.
• Mixed blessing: Something that has both good and bad aspects.
  • The promotion was a mixed blessing, bringing more money but much more stress.

Idioms

• Bless your heart: An expression that can be genuinely sympathetic or, in some regional uses, subtly patronizing or pitying.
  • You tried to fix it yourself? Well, bless your heart.
• I'll be blessed (or "blessed if I..."): Used to express strong determination or surprise (a mild oath).
  • I'll be blessed if I know where it went!

Adjective

1. characterized by happiness and good fortune
   • a blessed time
2. enjoying the bliss of heaven
3. Roman Catholic; proclaimed one of the blessed and thus worthy of veneration
4. expletives used informally as intensifiers
   • he's a blasted idiot
   • it's a blamed shame
   • a blame cold winter
   • not a blessed dime
   • I'll be damned (or blessed or darned or goddamned) if I'll do any such thing
   • he's a damn (or goddam or goddamned) fool
   • a deuced idiot
   • an infernal nuisance
5. worthy of worship
   • the Blessed Trinity
6. highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)
   • our blessed land
   • the blessed assurance of a steady income