1
as in foot
a bottom part upon which something rests or is supported
The museum displayed the jewels on a pedestal inside a glass case. The entrance to the ruined temple was flanked by columns, some of which had fallen from their pedestals.
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2
as in throne
the position of someone who is treated or regarded as extraordinarily good, successful, etc.
There's a tendency to put the person you love on a pedestal. The scandal knocked the beloved actor off his pedestal.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pedestal
Though widely acclaimed as a sculptor, Noguchi spent five decades working to pull sculpture off its proverbial pedestal, insisting that it be lived in—embedded in plazas, parks, and playgrounds as sites of civic interaction.
—
Terry Nguyen, ARTnews.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Tucked between the second and third-floor staircases is a life-size statue of a nude woman leaning forward, her elbows resting on a pedestal displaying a bronze bust of the same statue.
—Jennifer Cannon, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026
His 8-foot statue rises from a 10-foot pedestal — harder to reach than the practically ground-level Otis trio.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
The measurement from the bottom of her feet on the pedestal to the tip of her sword is 280 feet (85 meters), although the figure herself is 172 feet (52 meters) tall.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pedestal
Terry Nguyen, ARTnews.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Tucked between the second and third-floor staircases is a life-size statue of a nude woman leaning forward, her elbows resting on a pedestal displaying a bronze bust of the same statue.
—Jennifer Cannon, Vanity Fair, 7 Apr. 2026
His 8-foot statue rises from a 10-foot pedestal — harder to reach than the practically ground-level Otis trio.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
The measurement from the bottom of her feet on the pedestal to the tip of her sword is 280 feet (85 meters), although the figure herself is 172 feet (52 meters) tall.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pedestal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pedestal
Noun
-
During a presentation at the summit, Kempe told of anglers targeting lake whitefish in the summer in 90 to 150 feet of water.—
Mike McFeely,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In February 2025, a 3,281-square-foot cluster home in the first block of Snow Melt Court sold for $2,305,000, a price per square foot of $703.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Leo presided over the service sitting off to the side of the altar on a white throne, wearing his formal red cape and liturgical stole and praying with a Rosary in his hands.—
Nicole Winfield,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
-
King Jigme descended from his ceremonial golden throne during his 2011 wedding to Jetsun Pema, placing an elaborate crown on her head.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While the other candidates pressed their palms against the podiums, ready to pounce on every question, Becerra clasped his hands like an altar boy.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Students from the audience were welcome to take turns making their case at a podium for a set time period.—
Shannon Watkins,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Use a bag bungee Trying to balance a travel tote on top of a rolling suitcase is a disaster waiting to happen, especially when navigating crowded terminals.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
-
This used to be Syed Murtaza Sadar’s home in Kabul, on top of the barber shop and public bath that was his family’s business.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Tech executives have pushed back against similar allegations that their platforms are addictive to young people, pointing to parental controls and other new safety features for minors.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Popular chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT don’t meet the bar for doctors, who say these platforms aren’t always accurate or up to date with the latest guidance.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Flying into Singapore over the weekend gave me a front row seat to the literal sea of cargo ships sitting idle in the Port of Singapore.—
Leonie Kidd,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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The prospect of empty seats would alarm the television networks and sponsors who have paid top dollar to be associated with the tournament.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
During the summer, the farm stand is usually stocked with honey from her husband Dave’s hobby bee hives, and there’s also a Little Free Library so people can take a book to pair with their bites.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
10 Apr. 2026
-
In forested areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That data became the foundation for a training plan built specifically for her physiology.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
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The foundation has awarded $25 million in scholarships since 2012, according to KFC CEO Scott Mezvinsky, who said the program reflects the values of the company's founder.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pedestal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pedestal. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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