movers and shakers: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, journalistic, business
Quick answer
What does “movers and shakers” mean?
People who have power and influence in a particular field.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
People who have power and influence in a particular field; those who initiate significant change and action.
Individuals, often in business, politics, or the arts, who are dynamic, innovative, and capable of driving major developments or trends. They are not merely participants but pivotal forces of change.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant semantic difference. Possibly slightly more frequent in American business and political journalism.
Connotations
Equally positive/descriptive in both variants. May carry a slight connotation of 'establishment' or 'insider' influence.
Frequency
Common in both varieties. Slightly higher frequency in American English according to corpora like COCA and GloWbE.
Grammar
How to Use “movers and shakers” in a Sentence
N: the movers and shakers of [industry/field]Adj + N: powerful movers and shakersV + N: meet the movers and shakersVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to executives, investors, and entrepreneurs who drive market trends and major deals.
Academic
Used in sociology, political science, or business studies to describe elite actors or agents of change.
Everyday
Used informally to describe influential people in a local community, school, or social group.
Technical
Not a technical term; would be replaced by specific disciplinary jargon like 'stakeholders', 'change agents', or 'elites'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “movers and shakers”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “movers and shakers”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “movers and shakers”
- Using it in singular form (*a mover and shaker) – while understood, the fixed plural is strongly preferred.
- Confusing it with 'shakers' as in 'salt shakers'.
- Spelling as 'movers-and-shakers' with hyphens (sometimes seen but open form is standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely. The expression is a fixed plural compound. While 'a mover and shaker' is occasionally seen, it's non-standard. The standard use is plural: 'He is one of the industry's movers and shakers.'
It is informal to semi-formal. It's common in journalism, business writing, and speeches but would be replaced by more precise or formal terms like 'influential agents', 'key stakeholders', or 'prime movers' in very formal academic or legal documents.
'Movers and shakers' implies concrete power and influence to effect change, often within systems or organisations. 'Trendsetters' influence styles, opinions, or behaviours, often in culture or fashion, but may not have institutional power.
Not inherently. It is generally neutral or admiring, describing effective people. However, context can give it a slightly cynical tone, implying a closed network of powerful insiders (e.g., 'the usual movers and shakers').
People who have power and influence in a particular field.
Movers and shakers: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmuːvəz ən ˈʃeɪkəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmuːvɚz ən ˈʃeɪkɚz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The power behind the throne (related but not synonymous)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a busy stock exchange floor: the people who are physically MOVING urgently and whose actions SHAKE the market prices are the 'movers and shakers'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY/INDUSTRY IS A PHYSICAL STRUCTURE. Influential people are PHYSICAL FORCES (movers) that can cause it to tremble or change position (shakers).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'movers and shakers' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?