mover and shaker

Idioms  

1. A person who wields power and influence in a particular activity or field, as in He's one of the movers and shakers in the art world. At first the two nouns referred specifically to God, alluding to the belief that a divine force was responsible for all events. The current usage refers only to human beings. [Second half of 1800s]

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Example Sentences

China’s tech world is watching closely what will happen to Mr. Bao, who knows or has worked with nearly every mover and shaker in the industry.

From New York Times • Feb. 22, 2023

Whenever I’d meet another Latino mover and shaker from the Inland Empire, they’d inevitably be a Future Leader alum, and I’d ask how Dr. Tom was doing.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2022

Marjorie Pitter King was “a mover and shaker all of her life.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 5, 2022

Huffman and Raskin are trying to turn their two-year-old affiliate group into more of a mover and shaker.

From Washington Post • Apr. 9, 2020

All eyes are on an agent: a protagonist, a mover and shaker, a driving force.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker