Idiom Topics

  • The Ubiquitous Essentials

    10
    • On the other hand
    • At the end of the day
    • In the long run
    • Bear in mind
    • A piece of cake
    • Keep an eye on
    • Out of the blue
    • Rule of thumb
    • So far, so good
    • Behind the scenes

  • Everyday Casual & Workplace

    10
    • Under the weather
    • Call it a day
    • Up in the air
    • Wrap your head around
    • Break the ice
    • Get out of hand
    • Go the extra mile
    • Touch base
    • Hit the nail on the head
    • Cut corners

  • Problem Solving & Interaction

    10
    • See eye to eye
    • Read between the lines
    • Take it with a grain of salt
    • Get the hang of it
    • Give the benefit of the doubt
    • The elephant in the room
    • Hit the ground running
    • Play it by ear
    • Bite the bullet
    • Sit on the fence

  • Decisions & Perspectives

    9
    • Jump on the bandwagon
    • Cross that bridge when we come to it
    • The best of both worlds
    • A blessing in disguise
    • Once in a blue moon
    • Pull someone's leg
    • Miss the boat
    • Better late than never
    • Get your act together

  • Colorful & Traditional

    10
    • Spill the beans
    • Let the cat out of the bag
    • Bite off more than you can chew
    • Go back to the drawing board
    • Barking up the wrong tree
    • Actions speak louder than words
    • A penny for your thoughts
    • Break a leg
    • Hit the sack
    • Beat around the bush

  • Academic & Formal Discourse

    10
    • Bear fruit
    • Pave the way
    • Shed light on
    • Go hand in hand
    • Tip the scales
    • Fly in the face of
    • Bring to the table
    • Turn a blind eye
    • Draw a blank
    • State of the art

  • Emotions & Reactions

    10
    • Over the moon
    • Down in the dumps
    • On edge
    • Blow off steam
    • Keep your cool
    • Drive someone up the wall
    • On cloud nine
    • A weight off my shoulders
    • At your wits' end
    • Thrilled to bits

  • Effort, Success, & Failure

    10
    • Start from scratch
    • Pass with flying colors
    • Fall flat
    • Go down the drain
    • Keep your head above water
    • Pay off
    • Throw in the towel
    • Make headway
    • Uphill battle
    • Back to square one

  • Time, Speed, & Urgency

    10
    • Beat the clock
    • At the eleventh hour
    • Around the clock
    • In the nick of time
    • Drag your feet
    • Time flies
    • Make up for lost time
    • Call time on
    • Ahead of the curve
    • On the spur of the moment

  • Resources, Money, & Value

    10
    • Make ends meet
    • Foot the bill
    • Break the bank
    • Tighten your belt
    • Bang for your buck
    • A drop in the ocean
    • Make a killing
    • On a shoestring budget
    • Worth your weight in gold
    • Pay top dollar

A blessing in disguise

Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "A blessing in disguise" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourDecisions & Perspectives collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.

Decisions & Perspectives

A blessing in disguise

A blessing in disguise
An apparent misfortune or negative event that eventually results in a surprisingly good or positive outcome.
History & Origin

The idiom is widely attributed to the 18th-century English writer James Hervey, who used the phrase in his 1746 religious work 'Reflections on a Flower-Garden'. It originally carried a strong spiritual connotation, suggesting that what humans perceive as worldly suffering is actually God's hidden benevolence. Over the centuries, the phrase became entirely secularized and adopted into everyday English to describe any hidden stroke of good luck.

Examples
Workplace Email

Although losing the regional account was frustrating initially, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it allowed our team to focus entirely on winning the much larger national contract.

Casual Conversation

Honestly, breaking my leg right before the trip was a blessing in disguise because that exact flight ended up being grounded for three days due to severe blizzards.

Academic Writing

Economic historians argue that the early implementation of strict regulatory frameworks, while initially viewed as a hindrance to growth, acted as a blessing in disguise by shielding the banking sector from the subsequent global crash.

News/Media

For the local film industry, the sudden cancellation of the Hollywood production proved to be a blessing in disguise, opening up studio space and resources for independent filmmakers to thrive.

Formal Speech

Getting rejected from my first-choice university was a blessing in disguise; it redirected my path toward a program that truly nurtured my research interests and shaped my career.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. The company wore a blessing in disguise to ensure that competitors would not copy their innovative product design before the launch.

B. Being laid off from his job was a blessing in disguise, because it finally pushed him to start his own business, which became highly successful.

C. We had such a wonderful and perfect vacation from start to finish that the entire trip felt like a blessing in disguise.

D. He bought a blessing in disguise from the market to help heal his illness, but the medicine unfortunately did not work.