Bliss vs. Bless: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on October 4, 2023
Bliss refers to a state of perfect happiness, while Bless means to consecrate something with a prayer.
Key Differences
Bliss is often affiliated with a serene state of contentment, a personal experience that brings joy and satisfaction. Conversely, Bless typically conveys a sort of sanctification, a verb demonstrating an action or intention to invoke divine favor upon someone or something.
Bliss, a noun, usually indicates a peak of happiness or joy, possibly spiritual in nature. On the other hand, Bless indicates an action of bestowing favor or approval, frequently having a religious connotation, showing that the two words engage in distinctive roles within a sentence.
Bliss points toward a state, often used to describe a pinnacle of happiness, sometimes so immense it is beyond words. In contrast, Bless is more active, a verb that demonstrates the bestowing of positive energy or prayers toward someone, signifying a variance in not only meaning but grammatical usage as well.
Bliss carries connotations sometimes associated with enlightenment or a transcendent state of being. Bless, however, generally leans towards an interplay of well-wishing and actualizing positive intent towards another person or an object, suggesting that it plays a more interpersonal role.
Bliss tends to remain more secular if not employed in a spiritual context, illustrating a universal, accessible state of happiness. Bless tends to maintain a degree of spiritual or divine interaction, often engaging with a higher power or authority in its application, indicating divergent thematic use.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Noun
Verb
Meaning
A state of complete happiness
To confer divine favor upon
Usage in a Sentence
Experiencing joy and satisfaction
Bestowing positive energy or prayer
Possible Connotations
Often related to spiritual enlightenment
Primarily linked with religious actions
Synonyms
Joy, happiness, delight
Consecrate, hallow, sanctify
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Bliss and Bless Definitions
Bliss
Perfect contentment;
Living without worries is true bliss.
Bless
To make holy by religious rite;
The priest will bless the bread.
Bliss
Spiritual joy;
Attaining nirvana is a form of ultimate bliss.
Bless
To endow with a positive quality;
Nature can bless us with rain.
Bliss
Euphoric state;
The stunning sunset brought me unexpected bliss.
Bless
To praise or glorify;
We bless the name of the Almighty.
Bliss
A state of complete happiness;
The birth of her child was pure bliss.
Bless
To make holy by religious rite; sanctify
The clergy blessed the site for the new monastery.
Bliss
A joyful experience;
Their wedding day was absolute bliss.
Bless
To invoke divine favor upon
The bishop blessed the fishing fleet.
Bliss
Extreme happiness; ecstasy.
Bless
To make the sign of the cross over
She knelt and blessed herself.
Bliss
The ecstasy of salvation; spiritual joy.
Bless
To honor as holy; glorify
Bless the Lord.
Bliss
Perfect happiness.
The afternoon at the spa was utter bliss.
Bless
To confer well-being or prosperity on
They were blessed with a baby girl.
Bliss
Orig., blithesomeness; gladness; now, the highest degree of happiness; blessedness; exalted felicity; heavenly joy.
An then at last our blissFull and perfect is.
Bless
To endow, as with talent
He was blessed with a photographic memory.
Bliss
A state of extreme happiness
Bless
To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify.
Bless
To make the sign of the cross upon, so as to sanctify.
Bless
To invoke divine favor upon.
Bless
To honor as holy, glorify; to extol for excellence.
Bless
To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
Bless
(obsolete) To wave; to brandish.
Bless
To turn (a reference) into an object.
Bless
To secure, defend, or prevent from.
Bless
Used as an expression of endearment, gratitude, or (ironically) belittlement.
Bless
To make or pronounce holy; to consecrate
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.
Bless
To make happy, blithesome, or joyous; to confer prosperity or happiness upon; to grant divine favor to.
The quality of mercy is . . . twice blest;It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
It hath pleased thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee.
Bless
To express a wish or prayer for the happiness of; to invoke a blessing upon; - applied to persons.
Bless them which persecute you.
Bless
To invoke or confer beneficial attributes or qualities upon; to invoke or confer a blessing on, - as on food.
Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them.
Bless
To make the sign of the cross upon; to cross (one's self).
Bless
To guard; to keep; to protect.
Bless
To praise, or glorify; to extol for excellences.
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless
To esteem or account happy; to felicitate.
The nations shall bless themselves in him.
Bless
To wave; to brandish.
And burning blades about their heads do bless.
Round his armed head his trenchant blade he blest.
To bless the doors from nightly harm.
Bless
Give a benediction to;
The dying man blessed his son
Bless
Confer prosperity or happiness on
Bless
Make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection; consecrate
Bless
Render holy by means of religious rites
Bless
To confer well-wishes;
Bless you, my child, in your endeavors.
Bless
To protect by spiritual power;
May God bless and protect you.
FAQs
What does Bliss mean?
A state of perfect happiness.
Can Bliss have a spiritual connotation?
Yes, especially in certain contexts.
What part of speech is Bless?
Verb.
What part of speech is Bliss?
Noun.
Can Bliss be used as a verb?
No, Bliss is typically used as a noun.
Is Bless always used in a positive sense?
Generally, yes.
What is a synonym for Bliss?
Joy.
Can Bliss be used to describe a temporary state?
Yes, it can be fleeting or lasting.
Can Bliss describe a physical sensation?
Yes, like "The cool water was bliss."
Can you use Bless without religious intent?
Yes, it can express general goodwill.
Is Bliss always related to an event?
No, it can describe a state or feeling.
What does Bless mean?
To confer divine favor upon or to wish well.
Can Bless be used in a non-religious context?
Yes, it can be general well-wishing.
Provide an antonym for Bless.
Curse.
Can Bless be used as a noun?
Yes, in a derivative form as a blessing.
Provide an example of Bliss.
"His smile was pure bliss."
Is Bless related to religious practices?
Often, but not exclusively.
Can Bless be used to describe an action towards objects?
Yes, like blessing food.
Can Bliss and Bless be used together?
Yes, e.g., "The blessed day was blissful."
Can Bliss be negative?
Typically not, it’s associated with positive feelings.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
