manipulators
Those pulling strings
Manipulators are people or things that manipulate.
A person who manipulates others—through deception, emotional pressure, or exploitation—is a manipulator: He's a manipulator who preys on people's insecurities.
The word also refers to mechanical devices for handling objects, especially in contexts where direct human contact is impractical: robotic manipulators in a nuclear facility.
Deceivers who steal through trickery
- charlatansPretenders to special knowledge
- fraudstersPeople who deceive for gain
- trickstersThose who mislead deliberately
- scammersPeople who defraud others
grifters · impostors · deceivers · hoaxers · cheats · liars · hustlers · exploiters
Movement-producing mechanisms
- grippersTools for grasping objects
- servomechanismsAutomatic feedback control devices
- hydraulicsStudy of pressurized liquids
- pneumaticsPhysics of gas mechanics
linkages · joints · gears · levers · cams · cranks · cylinders · motors
Those who change minds
- lobbyistsPaid political persuaders
- propagandistsSpreaders of biased messaging
- influencersPeople with online sway
- kingmakersThose who decide leadership
handlers · strategists · fixers · insiders · gatekeepers · dealmakers
Tilting lever for control
- gamepadHandheld console interface
- remoteDistant or controller
- consoleComfort in distress
- keyboardArray of input keys
mouse · touchpad · knob · lever · dial · button · panel · interface
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- groomingSelf-care for appearance
- projectionSomething that extends outward
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
triangulation · isolation · invalidation · withholding · exploitation · conditioning · hoovering · negging
swindlers
Deceivers who steal through trickery
- charlatansPretenders to special knowledge
- fraudstersPeople who deceive for gain
- trickstersThose who mislead deliberately
scammers · grifters · impostors · deceivers · hoaxers · cheats · liars · hustlers · exploiters · backstabbers
actuators
Movement-producing mechanisms
- grippersTools for grasping objects
- servomechanismsAutomatic feedback control devices
- hydraulicsStudy of pressurized liquids
pneumatics · linkages · joints · gears · levers · cams · cranks · cylinders · motors · pulleys
persuaders
Those who change minds
- lobbyistsPaid political persuaders
- propagandistsSpreaders of biased messaging
- influencersPeople with online sway
kingmakers · handlers · strategists · fixers · insiders · gatekeepers · dealmakers
joystick
Tilting lever for control
keyboard · mouse · touchpad · knob · lever · dial · button · panel · interface · throttle
gaslighting
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- groomingSelf-care for appearance
- projectionSomething that extends outward
scapegoating · triangulation · isolation · invalidation · withholding · exploitation · conditioning · hoovering · negging · fearmongering
- grippersclaw, claws, pincer, pincers, gripper
- robot partsarm, grippers, gripper, actuators, actuator
- bad influenceswrong crowd, peer pressure, bad habits, enablers, drug dealers
- manipulatorsbrainwashers, gaslighters, controllers, puppeteers, handlers
- power playerspower brokers, insiders, dealmakers, influencers, kingmakers
- cybercriminalshacker, hackers, scammer, scammers, phishers
manipulatorsaltruists
People motivated by others' welfare
benefactors · caregivers · nurturers · philanthropists · protectors
manipulatorsempowerers
Those who grant capability
liberators · enablers · supporters · encouragers · mentors