Be driven, pushed, etc. from pillar to post
phrase
To move or shift aimlessly or without a clear goal, often used to indicate stressful or difficult situations where someone has to keep moving or changing their plans.
Since her parents divorced, she's been pushed from pillar to post, living with one relative after another.
Often appears as...
- pushed from pillar to post
- driven from pillar to post
Usage tips
Idiomatic
phrase
To move or shift aimlessly or without a clear goal, often used to indicate stressful or difficult situations where someone has to keep moving or changing their plans.
Since her parents divorced, she's been pushed from pillar to post, living with one relative after another.
Often appears as...
- pushed from pillar to post
- driven from pillar to post
Usage tips
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Metaphorical Origin
Understand it originates from a metaphor related to being sent aimlessly between two points.
Looking for a job without a clear specialty, he felt driven from pillar to post.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
It usually suggests a negative experience of being unsettled or mistreated.
After the team restructuring, I was pushed from pillar to post without a defined role.
Pro Tip 3/3Lack of Control
Implies the person has little control over their situation or movements.
Refugees often find themselves driven from pillar to post by circumstances beyond their control.
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