put/place (someone) on a pedestal

idiom

: to think of someone as a perfect person with no faults : to admire someone greatly
Her boyfriend placed her on a pedestal.
He wanted a career as an actor, but he didn't want to be put on a pedestal.

Examples of put/place (someone) on a pedestal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Still, in just a few short weeks, Jackson has gone from being seen as a woman, highly accomplished, but fallible like the rest of us, to a symbol, put on a pedestal to be praised and attacked. Erika D. Smithcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2022 Usually portrayed either as a tragedy to be pitied or an inspiring hero to be put on a pedestal and wonder at their bravery and resilience, where are the relatable characters? Nancy Doyle, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2021 Should Witten be put on a pedestal for his decision? David Moore, Dallas News, 1 Feb. 2021 Critics point to the fact that no one person should be put on a pedestal as the beacon of body positivity or representation, and no one person can shoulder the criticism of a deeply rooted issue like fatphobia in the entertainment industry. Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2023 But when considering factors like academics, facilities, finances and other extracurriculars, football can’t always be put on a pedestal. Dallas News, 12 Dec. 2022 Rock stars weren't put on a pedestal in Creem, and its reviews could be nasty — along with sexist and profane. David Bauder, ajc, 18 Aug. 2022 As well as helping pave the way for a more sustainable fashion future, where newness isn’t put on a pedestal, Bannerman believes Ebay’s Love Island sponsorship will become part of the shift towards people wanting to dress for themselves, not the trend cycle. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 31 May 2022 As the reigning queen of the Indian film industry — also known as Bollywood — Padukone has been put on a pedestal. Allure, 10 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'put/place (someone) on a pedestal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near put/place (someone) on a pedestal

Cite this Entry

“Put/place (someone) on a pedestal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put%2Fplace%20%28someone%29%20on%20a%20pedestal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on put/place (someone) on a pedestal

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!