blessings
Good things counted
Blessings are good things bestowed or wished upon someone, often with religious or spiritual overtones.
A blessing is divine favor, a prayer invoking such favor, or simply something to be grateful for: Count your blessings.
The plural often appears in well-wishing: Blessings to you and your family.
A mixed blessing brings both advantages and disadvantages.
Expression of grateful praise
- gratitudeThankfulness for kindness received
- prayerAddress to deity
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
- benedictionFormal spoken blessing
thanks · praise · devotion · reverence · grace before meals · thankfulness · offering · acknowledgment
Favorable opinion given
- endorsementFormal expression of support
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- backingAid or sponsorship
goodwill · patronage · sanction · permission · benediction · authorization · commendation · ratification
Formal spoken blessing
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
- christeningCeremony naming a child
- baptismRitual water purification ceremony
- confirmationEstablishing something as true
bar mitzvah · bat mitzvah · bris · laying on of hands · anointing · last rites
Chance affecting outcomes
- windfallUnanticipated lucky gain
- boonHelpful benefit received
- giftItem given freely
- bountyReward for capture
providence · serendipity · godsend · miracle · good fortune · stroke of luck · favor · benefit
Ample supply, overflowing
- wealthAbundance of valuable resources
- plentySufficient quantity, and then some
- flourishingProspering vigorously
- well-beingState of health, contentment
health · fertility · fruitfulness · thriving · good health · happiness · success · fulfillment
Sacred spiritual purity
- sanctityQuality of being inviolable
- consecrationDedicating to sacred purpose
- sanctificationMaking someone or something sacred
- hallowingMaking something sacred
sacredness · devotion · reverence · veneration · divine favor · anointment · ordination · dedication
thanksgiving
Expression of grateful praise
- gratitudeThankfulness for kindness received
- prayerAddress to deity
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
benediction · thanks · praise · devotion · reverence · grace before meals · thankfulness · offering · acknowledgment
approval
Favorable opinion given
- endorsementFormal expression of support
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- consentVoluntary agreement given
backing · goodwill · patronage · sanction · permission · benediction · authorization · commendation · ratification · acceptance
benediction
Formal spoken blessing
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
- christeningCeremony naming a child
- baptismRitual water purification ceremony
confirmation · bar mitzvah · bat mitzvah · bris · laying on of hands · anointing · last rites
luck
Chance affecting outcomes
bounty · providence · serendipity · godsend · miracle · good fortune · stroke of luck · favor · benefit · treasure
abundance
Ample supply, overflowing
- wealthAbundance of valuable resources
- plentySufficient quantity, and then some
- flourishingProspering vigorously
well-being · health · fertility · fruitfulness · thriving · good health · happiness · success · fulfillment · contentment
holiness
Sacred spiritual purity
- sanctityQuality of being inviolable
- consecrationDedicating to sacred purpose
- sanctificationMaking someone or something sacred
hallowing · sacredness · devotion · reverence · veneration · divine favor · anointment · ordination · dedication · absolution
- cultural associationslucky colors, wedding traditions, religious icons, national symbols, superstitions
- cultural traditionsflamenco, tango, kabuki, hula, capoeira
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
- gratitude expressionsthankfulness, appreciation, gratefulness, thank you letters, acknowledgments
- Greeting Card Wordsholiday greetings, thank you notes, congratulations, get well cards, sympathy cards
- farewell phrasesgoodbye, farewell, bon voyage, godspeed, happy trails
blessingscurses
Sworn oaths or hexes
maledictions · hexes · damnation · anathemas · imprecations
blessingsmisfortunes
Instances of bad luck
curses · afflictions · calamities · disasters · hardships
blessingscondemnations
Formal expressions of strong disapproval
censures · denunciations · disapproval · rejections · rebukes
- blessing in disguiseApparent misfortune yielding benefit
- count your blessingsAcknowledge what's fortunate
- a blessing in disguiseApparent misfortune proving beneficial
- mixed blessingAdvantage with attendant downsides
- count one's blessingsAcknowledge one's good fortune
- a blessing and a curseSomething with dual nature