movers and shakers
Those who matter
Movers and shakers are people with influence and power who make things happen—the decision-makers who shape events in business, politics, or culture.
The phrase pairs two words for people who cause change, reinforcing the sense of dynamism: She knows all the movers and shakers in Silicon Valley.
Sometimes used ironically for people who merely think they're important.
- shot callersThose with final authority
- changemakersPeople catalyzing societal improvement
- kingmakersThose who decide leadership
- influencersPeople with online sway
- thought leadersInfluential experts shaping discourse
leaders · trendsetters · decision makers · elite · tycoons · captains of industry · big wheels · powerbrokers · heavy hitters · bigwig · top brass · innovators · titans · trailblazers · rainmakers · luminaries · VIPs · pioneers
- influential citizensleaders, politicians, public figures, community leaders, civic leaders
- trendsetterstrendsetter, trendsetters, influencer, fashionistas, style icons
- elite networksold boys network, old boys club, inner circle, inner circles, cronyism
- authoritiesrulers, ruler, leaders, leader, officials
- eliteselites, plutocrats, oligarchs, aristocrats, blue bloods
- leadersleader, boss, leaders, bosses, chiefs
movers and shakersnobodies
Unimportant, unknown persons
pawns · small fry · underlings · little people · minions
movers and shakersfollowers
People who support someone
bystanders · spectators · hangers-on · sheep · yes-men
movers and shakersunknowns
Undetermined quantities
average Joes · John Q. Public · small potatoes · nobodies · nonentities
move, shake, moving, moved, movement, motive, shaking, shaken, movable