You can say “may God bless you” often to show goodwill toward someone.
However, there are situations where it’s better to use a similar phrase without sounding “religious,” like in a professional setting where the original phrase could feel out of place.
In this post, we’ve compiled 20 alternative ways to express blessings or well wishes, whether you’re thanking someone for a kind act or saying goodbye.
We’ll also provide context for each option so you can choose the most suitable one.
Key Takeaways
- “May God bless you” is a common English phrase used to wish someone well, whether after a sneeze, when saying goodbye, or in writing.
- If you’re talking to someone who isn’t religious, it’s better to say “peace be with you” instead.
- When thanking someone for a kind act, a good option is to say, “May blessings come your way.”
- In professional situations, it’s better to simply wish the person well. Phrases like “I wish you the best” work perfectly.
We’ve received quite a few emails from readers on our mailing list asking for what to say instead of “God bless you” when someone sneezes.
As we suggested different options, we realised that people use “may God bless you” in many other situations too.
Sure, it’s a polite thing to say in religious settings. But imagine greeting lots of people at church and repeating the same phrase over and over—it can get boring, right?
That’s where we come in. Our list of alternatives will help you. Even in situations where “May God bless you” will not sound right, you’ll find great substitutes in the next section.
List of the Best Synonyms for “May God Bless You”
- Peace be with you.
- I wish you well.
- That’s very kind of you.
- Best wishes.
- All the best.
- Take care.
- Good luck.
- Wishing you well
- May blessings come your way.
- Stay safe.
- Be well.
- Wishing you success.
- Wishing you all the best in your endeavours.
- Blessings upon you.
- May your endeavours end with success.
- I wish you good fortune.
- My thoughts and prayers are with you.
- I wish you the best.
- Stay healthy.
- I’m grateful for what you did.
In the sections that follow, we will take a closer look at each of these alternative phrases and provide contexts to each.
This will help you understand the different situations in which each phrase effectively replaces “may God bless you.”
1. Peace be with you
“Peace be with you” is one of the best alternative ways to say “may God bless you.”
It’s a better substitute, especially in cases where you’re talking to someone who isn’t religious.
In this reply, you don’t add the concept of “God,” but you communicate your intent of goodwill by wishing them peace.
It’s also a very versatile alternative phrase to you. It will sound good when you greet someone from the church. It will sound appropriate when you tell a colleague, even though it makes you sound a little sophisticated.
2. I wish you well
A great alternative to saying “May God bless you” is simply wishing someone well. It’s easy and direct.
This is perfectly fine for when you’re saying goodbye and want to send them off with good intentions.
“I wish you well” also has a more personal and emotional tone. You can use it to express your hope for their good fortune without relying on a religious aspect.
3. That’s very kind of you
If you’re considering saying “May God bless you” in response to someone’s kind gesture, it’s more effective to simply say, “That’s very kind of you.”
This way, you’re directly telling them the impact of their good deed. Sure, the phrase “may God bless you” works, but telling them they’re kind sounds more sincere.
You can use this phrase when someone does you a favour, gives you a special greeting, or does something nice in general, and you want to express your gratitude.
4. Best wishes
There isn’t a secular equivalent in British or American English for “God bless you”
Instead of sounding religious, you can simply say, “Best wishes.” It also works well when saying goodbye.
It’s simple, easy to remember, and won’t make you sound awkward in most situations.
5. All the best
Another good substitute for “God bless you” is “All the best.”
It’s interesting because, at first, they don’t seem to mean the same thing, but they work similarly depending on the context.
For example, when you’re giving advice to someone younger and want to end with a positive note, some might say “stay blessed” or “may God bless you.”
However, in settings where that will not sound appropriate, “All the best” is a perfect alternative.
6. Take care
In many communities, saying “May God bless you” has become almost instinctive when people say goodbye to each other. It’s common to hear this phrase as people part ways.
If you want to try something different in such situations, you can simply say, “Take care.”
This works well, especially if you’re talking to an atheist or if using religious phrases doesn’t feel appropriate.
“Take care” is neutral, but it still shows your intention of wishing the person well, no matter the reason.
7. Good luck
When you wish someone good luck, it means you want them to succeed in whatever they’re doing.
This idea is closely connected to being blessed, which is why “good luck” is a great alternative to “May God bless you.”
It’s also a better choice when you want to be more specific in your wishes.
For example, if someone tells you they’re about to take an exam, saying “good luck” feels more appropriate than “May God bless you”—because bless them? In what way?
“Good luck” is more direct and fitting for such a setting.
8. Wishing you well
To avoid bringing religious connotations into the conversation, you can use “wishing you well” instead of “may God bless you.”
This is especially useful in professional settings, where it’s best to steer clear of religious references.
Phrases that express gratitude, appreciation, or thoughtfulness are more appropriate.
The goal is to respond professionally and politely without mentioning religious figures or ideas. That’s why “wishing you well” is a better choice.
9. May blessings come your way.
Sometimes, repeating “May God bless you” can get a bit dull, even when you’re talking to someone who values these blessings.
To mix things up, you can say, “May blessings come your way.” This still has the same positive impact but sounds more personal.
In this case, “blessings” are like a blank canvas, and the person’s hopes and dreams will fill it when they say “Amen” to your prayer.
10. Stay safe
In English, “stay safe” is a way of wishing someone well when they leave.
It’s similar to saying “may God bless you” when someone is going away, so you can use “stay safe” instead.
While “stay safe” might not sound as warm as “may God bless you,” it’s a good choice if you want to avoid religious phrases.
It shows that you care about the person’s safety and well-being.
So we recommend this replacement for letting them know you hope they don’t run into trouble. (God’s blessings don’t come with troubles, as they say)
11. Be well
People often use “may God bless you” to wish others good health and happiness. If that’s what you mean, you can say “Be well” instead.
For example, if you visit a sick friend, you may want to say, “may God bless and heal you” as you leave.
That’s a nice sentiment, but you can also simply say “be well” to express your good wishes.
12. Wishing you success
When you wish someone God’s blessings, you’re hoping they’ll be successful. So, saying “wishing you success” is a great alternative to “may God bless you.”
It’s more direct and specific, showing that you want them to achieve success in their efforts.
You can also add more details to your wish to clarify exactly when or how you hope they’ll succeed. That;s the whole point of this alternative phrase.
13. Wishing you all the best in your endeavours
“Wishing you all the best in your endeavours” is quite similar to “may God bless you,” especially when you want to wish someone success for their hard work.
When you see someone putting in a lot of effort and want to encourage them, you might want to originally say “may God bless you” as a way to support them.
In these cases, you can use “Wishing you all the best in your endeavours” instead.
It’s not a special change, but it sounds more encouraging.
14. Blessings upon you
“Blessings upon you” is a common phrase often used by clergymen and is very similar to saying “may God bless you.” Both phrases go hand in hand.
However, “blessings upon you” is particularly fitting in a religious context when you want to convey the full impact of your prayers.
It sounds more like a powerful prayer rather than just a simple wish.
Use “blessings upon you” instead of “may God bless you” when you’re in the middle of a prayer and want to express a deep, heartfelt decree upon the person’s life.
15. May your endeavours end with success
Another creative way to say “may God bless you” is by wishing someone success at the end of their journey.
Blessings generally mean God’s favor and protection, and you can connect this idea with achieving success at the end of an effort, whether it’s deserved or not.
This makes the phrases similar, but using “May your endeavours end with success” lets you convey good wishes without sounding too religious.
16. I wish you good fortune
When someone gets good fortune, many people easily associate it with being the intervention of the divine—God’s blessings.
It makes sense because “I wish you good fortune” sounds similar to praying for someone to get God’s blessings.
So this is another ideal replacement.
17. My thoughts and prayers are with you
You can use “My thoughts and prayers are with you” instead of “may God bless you” when you want to avoid sounding too religious but still want to express your belief in God’s power to bless someone.
This phrase feels more personalised and shows a greater sense of sympathy, which “may God bless you” might not always convey.
You can use this phrase to let someone know you care and are thinking about them in a supportive and heartfelt manner.
18. I wish you the best
Depending on your tone and facial expression, “I wish you the best” can sometimes come across as bland, emotionless, or even sarcastic.
However, it basically means you’re hoping for the best possible outcome for someone, which is similar to wishing them God’s support.
19. Stay healthy
God’s blessings come in various ramifications like wealth, peace of mind, personal growth, insight, character change, or health.
If you’re specifically wishing someone better health, it’s more straightforward to say “stay healthy,” especially if you want to avoid religious connotations.
20. I’m grateful for what you did
When someone is doing something kind that you do not expect, it’s normal to want to say a word of prayer to them such as “may God bless you” which is fine.
But to make them feel more appreciated, directly tell them how grateful you are of your effort.
But you can even add “God bless you” after saying this alternative response.
Final Thoughts
It can be tough to find the right words to express your feelings or wishes, especially when “May God bless you” doesn’t sound right for the situation or the person you’re talking to.
With this list of 20 alternative phrases in your back pocket, you no longer have to rely on religious expressions to share the same sentiments.
Keep in mind that some of the phrases in this article are best for wishing someone well, while others are better for showing gratitude or responding to a sneeze.
Make sure to think about who you’re speaking to and the context of the conversation. Good luck!
