Benison
What it means
A blessing or spoken wish for another person's happiness.
Reach for it when using an old literary word for a sincere blessing
The travelers carried their grandmother's benison into the uncertain season.
Words to choose between 5
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| formal | |
| literary |
|
-
everyday
good wishes
Fits when a secular audience needs plain affectionate language
Careful Good wishes lack benison's sacred or literary resonance.
-
warm
Fits when familiar language for goodwill or divine favor is preferred
Careful Blessing can also mean a fortunate thing rather than spoken wishes.
-
formal
Fits when a ceremonial blessing closes a religious gathering
Careful Benediction is more institutional and usually has a formal setting.
-
formal
prayer
Fits when the words are explicitly addressed to a deity
Careful A prayer may request help for oneself and need not bless another person.
-
literary
Fits when divine favor or a short blessing before food is meant
Careful Grace has many unrelated senses and can obscure the intended act.
Opposites 3
- curse
- malediction
- ill wish
Common phrases 3
-
give a benison
The elder rose to give a benison before the boats departed.
-
parting benison
Her parting benison steadied the young musicians before the tour.
-
mother's benison
He remembered his mother's benison whenever the work felt lonely.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Benison is archaic or literary. Blessing will be clearer in most modern contexts.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated