put on a pedestal
Treat as perfect
To put someone on a pedestal is to idealize or admire them excessively, treating them as perfect or beyond criticism: He put his mother on a pedestal.
The image comes from statues elevated for veneration.
The phrase often carries a warning—those placed on pedestals eventually disappoint: She realized she'd put him on a pedestal, and the fall was hard.
idealize
Revere to excess
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
- revereDeeply respect and admire
- venerateHonor with deep respect
- glorifyPraise to excess
exalt · deify · romanticize · hero-worship · adore · lionize · apotheosize · canonize
idolize
Revere to excess
glorify · exalt · deify · romanticize · hero-worship · adore · lionize · apotheosize · canonize · enshrine
social positioning
put on a pedestaltake down a peg
Lower someone's self-importance
cut down to size · humble · bring low · topple · drag through the mud