What does it Mean to ‘Put Someone on Pedestal’?

To put someone on a pedestal means —

• to admire them greatly;
• to hold someone in high esteem;
• to think of someone as perfect.

A pedestal is a plinth or base on which a statue stands. So figuratively, if you are putting someone on a pedestal, it is because you admire them, or you worship them.

Let’s see an example —

“I feel guilty that I let my son down. He used to put me on a pedestal.”

It means I am feeling regretful that I disappointed my son. He used to think of me as perfect.

I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.

Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.