# adorn oneself with borrowed plumes

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/adorn-oneself-with-borrowed-plumes
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To claim the honor of another for oneself.

## Examples

- He tries to impress everyone by adorning himself with borrowed plumes.
- The writer lost all credibility when people realized he was adorning himself with borrowed plumes from obscure journals.
- The politician sought to bolster his reputation by adorning himself with borrowed plumes, falsely claiming credit for the successful policies of his predecessor.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.