Be driven, pushed, etc. from pillar to post

usgb
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.
Visual representation of "be driven, pushed, etc. from pillar to post" - 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.

Often appears as...

  • pushed from pillar to post
  • driven from pillar to post

Usage tips

Idiomatic

Definition 1 of 1
Visual representation of "be driven, pushed, etc. from pillar to post"
LampPro Tip 1/3

Metaphorical Origin

Understand it originates from a metaphor related to being sent aimlessly between two points.

Illustration for Metaphorical Origin
Looking for a job without a clear specialty, he felt driven from pillar to post.
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Negative Connotation

It usually suggests a negative experience of being unsettled or mistreated.

Illustration for Negative Connotation
After the team restructuring, I was pushed from pillar to post without a defined role.
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Lack of Control

Implies the person has little control over their situation or movements.

Illustration for Lack of Control
Refugees often find themselves driven from pillar to post by circumstances beyond their control.
Visual representation of the word "Be driven, pushed, etc. from pillar to post"

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