movers and shakers
Britishplural noun
Etymology
Origin of movers and shakers
C20: perhaps from the line ``We are the movers and shakers of the world for ever'' in `Ode' by Arthur O'Shaughnessy (1844–81), British poet
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Think how many movers and shakers, from Barack Obama to Jeff Bezos to Paul Krugman, cite “Star Trek” or Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” series as formative influences?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
It’s all part of an effort, observers say, for the companies to properly position themselves with the movers and shakers in town.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 24, 2026
It took firefighters about an hour to extinguish the blaze at the century-old restaurant building, which attracted movers and shakers for much of its history.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 20, 2025
Walking to the match with fans, lifting weights in the gym with the players, and soaking up the wisdom of the movers and shakers in the boardroom.
From BBC ● Mar. 19, 2025
It worries me that the other girls have a head start on this since their families are already friends with the movers and shakers of Ecuador.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
