extol (someone or something) as (something)
To highlight and praise the positive aspects of someone or something by depicting it or them as having a certain quality or fulfilling a certain role. After he made that sizable donation, we extolled him as the savior of the program.
extol someone or something as something
to praise someone or something as something. We extolled her as a heroine. The salesman extolled the medicine as a cure-all.
praise someone or something to the skies
Fig. to give someone or something much praise. He wasn't very good, but his friends praised him to the skies. They liked your pie. Everyone praised it to the skies.
praise to the skies
Commend lavishly or excessively, as in The critics praised the new soprano to the skies. This expression, alluding to lofty praise, was in the 1600s put as extol to the skies but acquired its present form in the early 1800s. Also see sing one's praises.