usurpers
Illegitimate power grabbers
Usurpers are people who seize power, position, or rights without legitimate authority.
The word carries strong connotations of illegitimacy—usurpers take what isn't theirs by force or cunning: The usurpers overthrew the rightful king.
Beyond political contexts, anything that displaces what properly belongs can be called a usurper: Streaming services became usurpers of traditional television.
Roman who killed Caesar
- MacbethAmbitious thane's downfall
- Richard IIIFinal Yorkist king
- ClaudiusFourth Roman emperor
- BonaparteFrench imperial family name
Cromwell · pretenders · conquest · assassin · regicide · treachery · ambition · palace
Ceremonial chair for sovereigns
- coupAbrupt seizure of power
- tyrantCruel, absolute ruler
- pretenderIllegitimate claimant to power
- illegitimateNot authorized or recognized
overthrow · regent · dictator · junta · despot · seizure · monarchy · crown
One feigning another's identity
- interloperOne who enters uninvited
- supplanterOne who displaces another
- replacementWhat takes another's place
- newcomerRecent arrival somewhere
intruder · rival · displacement · encroachment · takeover · outsider · challenger · gatecrasher
Unwanted corporate buyout attempt
- raidersThose who plunder
- oustingForcible removal from position
- boardroomCorporate decision venue
- acquisitionAct of obtaining something
shareholders · CEO · buyout · merger · executives · proxy war · vultures · investors
Brutus
Roman who killed Caesar
- MacbethAmbitious thane's downfall
- Richard IIIFinal Yorkist king
- ClaudiusFourth Roman emperor
Bonaparte · Cromwell · pretenders · conquest · assassin · regicide · treachery · ambition · palace · conspiracy
throne
Ceremonial chair for sovereigns
illegitimate · overthrow · regent · dictator · junta · despot · seizure · monarchy · crown · succession
impostor
One feigning another's identity
- interloperOne who enters uninvited
- supplanterOne who displaces another
- replacementWhat takes another's place
newcomer · intruder · rival · displacement · encroachment · takeover · outsider · challenger · gatecrasher · appropriator
hostile takeover
Unwanted corporate buyout attempt
acquisition · shareholders · CEO · buyout · merger · executives · proxy war · vultures · investors · leveraged
- villainsvillain, antagonists, Darth Vader, evil characters, Joker
- court intrigueintrigue, plots, schemes, plotting, conspiracy
- Epic Enemiesantagonists, rivals, adversaries, nemeses, foes
- throne seekersheirs, successors, pretenders, claimants, inheritors
- raidersraiders, marauders, pillagers, plunderers, looters
- upstartsnewcomers, rookies, novices, newbies, challengers