Meaning & use
pillar of society
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A person who is highly respected and plays an important role in the community.
Grammar: Countable; you can say 'a pillar of society' or 'pillars of society'.
Patterns
- a pillar of society
- pillars of society
The doctor was regarded as a pillar of society.
He was a pillar of society, always helping local charities.
Teachers are often seen as pillars of society.
Word forms
| plural | pillars of society |
|---|
Common combinations
- a respected pillar of society
- She became a respected pillar of society after years of public service.
- a pillar of the community
- The mayor was a pillar of the community.
- considered a pillar of society
- He is considered a pillar of society by his neighbors.
Synonyms and how they differ
- upstanding citizen
- Similar, but more focused on good moral character; 'pillar of society' emphasizes importance and respect.
- leading figure
- Broader, can refer to any field; 'pillar of society' suggests a foundational role in the community.
Commonly confused: pillar of society or pillar of the community?
pillar of society vs pillar of the community
Very similar, but 'community' is more local; 'society' is broader.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pillar of society' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Pillar of society' refers to a person, not a building or object. Option B correctly refers to a person. Options A, C, and D mistakenly refer to physical pillars or objects.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pillar of society”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.