high-flyers
Ambitious successful people
High-flyers are people who are exceptionally ambitious, successful, or talented, particularly in business or academic settings.
The term suggests someone rising rapidly through ranks or achieving impressive results: The company recruits high-flyers from top universities.
In British English especially, high-flyer can also refer to a high-flying aircraft or bird, though the figurative meaning dominates contemporary usage.
The hyphenated spelling is more common in British English; Americans often write it as two words.
Those who accomplish goals
- go-gettersAmbitiously proactive people
- striversPeople who work hard
- overachieversThose who exceed expectations
- drivenIntensely determined to achieve
motivated · determined · goal-oriented · aspirational · self-starters · proactive · hardworking · tenacious
Promising newcomers gaining prominence
- prodigiesUnusually talented youth
- wunderkinderGifted children, German-derived
- protégésStudents of a mentor
- phenomsRemarkable talents, abbreviated
hopefuls · prospects · rookies · apprentices · trainees · newcomers · next-generation · promising
Those who decide leadership
- trendsettersThose who initiate popular styles
- trailblazersThose who open territory
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- game-changersThings transforming entire fields
influencers · heavyweights · moguls · magnates · tycoons · masterminds · dealmakers · rainmakers
Luminous celestial bodies
- superstarsElite famous performers
- A-listersElite celebrities
- crème de la crèmeThe absolute best
- valedictoriansHighest academic achievers graduating
top-tier · cream-of-the-crop · standouts · frontrunners · leaders · champions · winners · luminaries
achievers
Those who accomplish goals
- go-gettersAmbitiously proactive people
- striversPeople who work hard
- overachieversThose who exceed expectations
driven · motivated · determined · goal-oriented · aspirational · self-starters · proactive · hardworking · tenacious · perseverance
up-and-comers
Promising newcomers gaining prominence
- prodigiesUnusually talented youth
- wunderkinderGifted children, German-derived
- protégésStudents of a mentor
phenoms · hopefuls · prospects · rookies · apprentices · trainees · newcomers · next-generation · promising
kingmakers
Those who decide leadership
- trendsettersThose who initiate popular styles
- trailblazersThose who open territory
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
game-changers · influencers · heavyweights · moguls · magnates · tycoons · masterminds · dealmakers · rainmakers · power-brokers
stars
Luminous celestial bodies
- superstarsElite famous performers
- A-listersElite celebrities
- crème de la crèmeThe absolute best
valedictorians · top-tier · cream-of-the-crop · standouts · frontrunners · leaders · champions · winners · luminaries · VIPs
high-flyersunderachievers
Those performing below capacity
failures · underperformers · losers · also-rans · no-hopers
high-flyersslackers
Those who avoid effort
drifters · layabouts · coasters · clock-watchers · loafers
high-flyersbottom-feeders
Creatures eating debris below
small fry · nobodies · underdogs · rank and file · foot soldiers
high, fly, flyer, flyers, higher, highest, highly, highness, flies