"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."[1][5]
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.[6][7][8]
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.'"[9]
^
abDyer, Candace (November 1, 2012).
"Your Southern Decoder". Atlanta Magazine.
Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2016.