Power Dynamics

noun absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal

• The country descended into anarchy after the government collapsed.
• It's like total anarchy at the mall during Black Friday sales.
• The party was an absolute anarchy last night!
• His mind was an anarchy of conflicting thoughts.

noun a person who performs menial tasks for someone else; a servant or subordinate

adjective relating to or characteristic of a flunky

• The CEO's flunky was tasked with organizing the board meeting.
• I don't want to be just a flunky, I want to have a more important role.
• He's just a flunky, he doesn't make any important decisions.
• She felt like a flunky in the grand scheme of things, always following orders without question.

noun a close connection marked by common interests or characteristics

• The concept of kinship is central to many indigenous cultures around the world.
• I feel a strong sense of kinship with my coworkers after working together for so long.
• Me and my best friend have a kinship that goes way back.
• The kinship between music and emotion is undeniable.

noun a joint of a finger when the fist is clenched

verb to submit or yield to pressure or authority

• He refused to knuckle under to the demands of the opposition party.
• She won't knuckle under to anyone, no matter how powerful they are.
• I'm not going to knuckle under to that bully!
• Sometimes it's better to knuckle under and avoid unnecessary conflict.

adjective relating to or characteristic of the Italian political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, especially in being cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous in politics.

• The politician's Machiavellian tactics were evident in his manipulation of public opinion.
• I don't trust him, he's always playing these Machiavellian games.
• She's so Machiavellian, always scheming behind everyone's back.
• The CEO's Machiavellian approach to business was like a chess master moving pieces on a board.

adjective relating to or characteristic of a system of government or control in which one person has all the power

• The monocratic leadership style of the CEO has been met with mixed reactions from the board members.
• I don't like how monocratic the new manager is - he never listens to anyone else's ideas.
• The teacher's monocratic attitude is really getting on my nerves.
• The monocratic rule of the dictator stifled any form of dissent or opposition.

noun a group of words that functions as a single unit of meaning and includes a verb and its subject

verb a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being

• The CEO was able to pull strings to secure a meeting with the foreign investors.
• I can try to pull some strings to get you a discount on the tickets.
• She always knows how to pull strings to get what she wants.
• In politics, it's common for powerful individuals to pull strings behind the scenes.

noun a noun referring to the quality of being excessively submissive or obedient

• The king expected servility from his subjects at all times.
• She couldn't stand his constant servility towards his boss.
• I'm not gonna put up with that kind of servility from anyone.
• The servility of the old building towards the new skyscrapers was evident in its dilapidated state.

noun a feeling of resentment or ill will, typically towards someone or something

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pronoun None

preposition None

conjunction None

interjection None

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• She continued to work hard despite the obstacles in her way, refusing to be deterred by spiteful comments.
• He decided to go to the party just to show his ex-girlfriend he was doing fine, out of spite.
• I'll post a selfie with my new car just to spite my haters.
• The dark clouds loomed over the city, casting a sense of spite upon the bustling streets.

noun a person who uses force or threats to get what they want

• The suspect was apprehended by the police officer using a strong arm technique.
• He was able to open the stubborn jar with a strong arm.
• She won the arm wrestling match with her strong arm.
• The company used their strong arm tactics to secure the deal.

adjective Sycophantic is an adjective that describes someone who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage.

• The sycophantic behavior of the employees towards the boss was quite evident during the meeting.
• I can't stand that sycophantic guy who always agrees with everything the boss says.
• Stop being so sycophantic, it's annoying.
• Her sycophantic attitude towards the popular kids in school was like a moth to a flame.

verb the act of behaving in a subservient or overly obedient manner in order to gain favor or approval

• The politician was accused of toadying to the wealthy donors in exchange for campaign contributions.
• I can't stand toadying behavior, it's so transparent and insincere.
• Stop toadying up to the boss, it's embarrassing to watch.
• Her constant toadying to authority figures left her with no true friends.

noun a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

article a word that is used with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun

• It would be highly unwise to put the fox in charge of the hen house.
• Putting the fox in charge of the hen house is just asking for trouble.
• Letting the fox run the hen house is a recipe for disaster.
• Putting the fox in charge of the hen house is like letting a thief guard the treasure.

noun a set of concepts and principles used to analyze and predict the outcomes of competitive situations

• Game theory is a branch of applied mathematics that studies strategic interactions between rational decision-makers.
• I find game theory really interesting because it helps us understand how people make decisions in competitive situations.
• Game theory is like figuring out the best moves to make in a game of life.
• In the game theory of relationships, sometimes you have to strategize your next move to achieve the desired outcome.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or state of being

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• It is important for leaders to create a culture of respect and equality in the workplace, rather than allowing a culture of kissing up and kicking down.
• I can't stand people who kiss up to the boss but then kick down on their colleagues.
• I hate when people brown-nose the higher-ups and then throw their coworkers under the bus.
• In the world of politics, it's common to see politicians kiss up to those in power and kick down on marginalized communities.

noun a man who is at the bottom of the social hierarchy in terms of status among males

• The omega male is often characterized as being less dominant and more passive in social situations.
• I heard that guy over there is considered an omega male because he doesn't really assert himself in group settings.
• Some people use the term 'omega male' as a way to describe guys who are seen as not fitting traditional masculine stereotypes.
• In the animal kingdom, the omega male is typically the lowest ranking male in the social hierarchy.