Bless your heart

"Bless your heart" is a phrase common to the Southern United States.[1][2] The phrase has multiple meanings and is used to express genuine sympathy but sometimes as an insult that conveys condescension, derision, or contempt. It may also be spoken as a precursor to an insult to mitigate its severity. Meanings range from sincerity to exasperation,[3] and are primarily imparted through context and tone.[4] While common in the South, it is primarily used by individuals who wish to "be sweet” and do not wish to "act ugly."[5][6]

For the album by the Allman Betts Band, see Bless Your Heart (album). For the song by Freddie Hart, see Bless Your Heart (song).
Look up bless your heart in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Notable examples

In 2016, Nikki Haley, then governor of South Carolina, received extensive press coverage for saying the phrase in response to an attack by presidential candidate Donald Trump.[7][8][9]

Speaking about ex-husband Ben Affleck's large back tattoo of a rising phoenix, Jennifer Garner said, "You know what we would say in my hometown about that? 'Bless his heart.'"[10]

See also

References
  1. "Aw, Bless Her Heart : Your Southern Decoder Explaining "bless your heart" and everything else". Atlantamagazine.com. November 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  2. "'Bless your heart' and 14 other southern sayings yankees just don't understand". AL.com. November 2, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  3. "30 Phrases Only Southerners Use". Southern Living. May 14, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  4. "How To Respond To "Bless Your Heart"". Southern Living. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  5. Dyer, Candace (November 1, 2012). "Your Southern Decoder". Atlanta Magazine. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  6. Norling, Hannah (July 22, 2015). "The Northern Southerner: Bless My Heart?". Southern Living. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  7. Politics. "Nikki Haley dismisses Donald Trump". Business Insider. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  8. Krieg, Gregory. "Nikki Haley response to Trump attack: 'Bless your heart' - CNNPolitics.com". Cnn.com. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  9. Gass, Nick. "Nikki Haley to Donald Trump: 'Bless your heart'". Politico.com. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  10. Smith, Krista (February 26, 2016). "Exclusive: Jennifer Garner's Frank Talk About Kids, Men, and Ben Affleck". Vanity Fair. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
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