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Definition of power trip

Examples of power trip in a sentence.

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“Power trip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/power%20trip. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.

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What Is a Power Trip? Exploring the Psychology, Signs, and Impact of Going on a Power Trip

By Happy Sharer

Introduction

The term “power trip” has become increasingly popular in recent years. But what exactly is a power trip? In its simplest form, a power trip is when someone seeks to gain control over others by using their power or authority. This can manifest itself in different ways, such as through manipulation, bullying, or intimidation. It’s important to understand what a power trip is and the potential consequences it can have on relationships and mental health.

Exploring the Psychology Behind Power Trips

When it comes to understanding the motivations behind power trips, there are a few psychological factors at play. According to Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, “Power trips are rooted in insecurity, narcissism, and a need to feel powerful and in control.” 1 People who go on power trips may be trying to compensate for a sense of inadequacy or to make up for a lack of self-esteem. They may also be driven by a need to prove themselves or to be seen as superior.

Another factor that may contribute to power trips is an individual’s ego. Ego can cause people to overestimate their capabilities and underestimate the capabilities of others. This can lead them to take on more than they can handle and to act in a controlling manner. As psychologist Dr. Gail Saltz explains, “People who are prone to power trips often have a sense of entitlement, which means they believe they should get what they want without having to work for it.” 2 This can lead to unrealistic expectations and a lack of empathy for those around them.

Examining Common Examples of Power Trips

Power trips can occur in many different contexts, but some of the most common examples are in the workplace, social settings, and family relationships. In the workplace, a power trip might involve a supervisor or manager who uses their position to manipulate or intimidate others. This could include setting unreasonable demands or expectations, micromanaging employees, or withholding praise or recognition. In social settings, a power trip could involve someone who tries to dominate conversations or make decisions for the group without considering other people’s opinions. In family relationships, a power trip might involve a parent who attempts to control their children’s behavior or choices.

Recognizing the Signs of a Power Trip

It’s important to be able to recognize the signs of a power trip so you can address the issue before it escalates. Some common signs to watch out for include:

• Controlling behavior: A person on a power trip may attempt to control or dictate the behavior of those around them.
• Aggressive or demanding language: They may use aggressive language or demand things from others.
• Unreasonable expectations: They may set unrealistic expectations or make unreasonable demands.

Discussing the Impact of Power Trips on Relationships

Power trips can have a profound impact on relationships, both personal and professional. People who go on power trips tend to create tension and conflict, which can strain relationships and lead to feelings of resentment. Additionally, power trips can damage self-esteem and lead to feelings of worthlessness. Research shows that power trips can even have long-term effects on mental health, such as depression and anxiety. 3 It’s important to recognize the impact power trips can have and take steps to address the issue.

Exploring Ways to Avoid Going on a Power Trip

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to avoid going on a power trip. The first step is to understand your own motivations. Ask yourself why you want to exert control over others and consider whether there are healthier ways to meet your needs. It’s also important to practice empathy and compromise. Make sure to listen to the perspectives of others and be open to making concessions. Finally, it’s important to set clear boundaries. Let people know what you expect from them and don’t be afraid to say no if something doesn’t feel right.

In conclusion, it’s important to be aware of what a power trip is and the potential consequences it can have on relationships and mental health. Power trips are often driven by insecurity and ego and can manifest themselves in different ways. Recognizing the signs of a power trip is key to avoiding it and setting clear boundaries can help you maintain healthy relationships. By understanding the psychology behind power trips and taking steps to avoid them, you can ensure that you don’t fall into the trap of trying to control others.

1 Durvasula, R. (2019, October 23). What is a Power Trip? Verywell Mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-power-trip-4157783

2 Saltz, G. (2018, December 21). 8 Signs Someone Is on a Power Trip. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-prime/201812/8-signs-someone-is-power-trip

3 Rudolph, K. D., & Hammen, C. (2002). Interpersonal stress and depression: Tests of transactional and diathesis-stress models. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 111(4), 602–614. doi: 10.1037/0021-843X.111.4.

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Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way.

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• Relationships

One Way to Deal With Someone on A Power Trip

Hint: many who throw their weight around don’t feel all that powerful..

Posted September 17, 2019 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

Sure, there are people out there who like to use power to control other people—that’s pretty much the definition of a power trip. But is your boss, coworker, ex-friend, or estranged relative really one of them?

Not necessarily.

Not everybody who seems to be on a power trip actually is. Even the most controlling, domineering person in your life may simply be… protecting herself.

Self-protection isn’t the only alternative explanation for an apparent power trip. But it’s one that’s often overlooked.

If you can spot self-protection in action, you’re more likely to respond effectively and even potentially help the person heal.

The Power of Self-Protection

Most of us, if we’ve been hurt badly enough in the past, will prioritize doing whatever it takes to stay emotionally and physically safe.

Some of the behaviors we use as a shield can easily be mistaken for something more aggressive. Here are just a few examples:

• Dictating the details of how things play out to make sure we don’t get hurt again
• Requiring lots of information upfront before we agree to do things
• Changing our minds after agreeing to something that makes us nervous
• Reducing or eliminating contact with people who feel dangerous

All of these behaviors can come across as power-tripping. But self-protection is not about enjoying power; it’s about trying to ensure safety.

Sometimes, self-protection requires us to remove ourselves from certain relationships. There are various ways of doing this, ranging from “ ghosting ” (disappearing without explanation) to having a respectful conversation in which we clearly state our needs and boundaries in a way that others can choose to act on, or not, with the understanding that we hope they’ll be able to do so.

Mostly, when we’re in self-defense mode, we’re not especially polite. We might come across as unreasonable, stubborn, or even aggressive.

Think about it: If you’re at a backyard barbecue, and your shorts catch fire, you’re going to make a beeline for the swimming pool without concern for whose Coke you knock over. While you’re dashing to the pool, your only thought is for your own safety.

Even if we don’t feel especially powerful, our self-protection can make us look like power-hungry control freaks.

Refusing to return someone’s phone call, from their point of view, is just rude. Even if the truth is we’re scared of what might happen if we talk to them.

Leaving relationships, or acting inconsistently within them because of our own ambivalence, can come across as a power trip because we’re controlling the contact schedule. Sometimes we’re available; other times, we’re not. We decide from moment to moment what we can tolerate.

To the person on the receiving end, we’re just messing with them.

How to Respond

If you’re on the other side, looking at someone who appears to be on a power trip, there are some questions you might consider. To your knowledge…

Has that person experienced physical harm, emotional pain, or deep disappointment in relationships?

How secure does he seem, in general? How’s his overall self-image ?

Is it possible that the “power trip” is really just a need for safety?

If the relationship is important to you, don’t skip over self-protection as a possible explanation for behavior that appears power-driven.

If it might be the case that the person is protecting himself, how can you help him feel safer, especially in the relationship you share?

Here are a few ways to provide safety for people who’ve been hurt and/or traumatized in relationships:

• Ask permission. Ask about timing, locations, activities, topics that are OK to discuss… anything that the person seems anxious to control. These are important to her, so let her decide what feels OK.
• Offer choices. Same as above, and let the person know you’re open to hearing her ideas and preferences. Respect her choices, as long as they don’t directly violate your personal boundaries.
• Don’t push. Fear of being dominated often goes hand in hand with concerns about safety. Never try to coerce someone who’s been traumatized into doing what you want them to do.
• Be patient. Intrusive self-protective behaviors stem from past harm, not malice. People need time, understanding, and acceptance in order to heal.

These behaviors represent the opposite of what most of us feel like doing when someone is throwing their weight around. It’s human nature to want to push back against anything that feels like an inappropriate power-grab.

So if the relationship is not that important to you, you may choose simply not to deal with someone who seems to be on a power trip.

But now that you know it could be something deeper, you can make an informed choice about your own response.

Tina Gilbertson, LPC, is the author of Reconnecting with Your Estranged Adult Child and Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings By Letting Yourself Have Them . She hosts the Reconnection Club Podcast for parents of estranged adult children and offers consultation by distance.

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English [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ].

power trip ( plural power trips )

• Any activity which confers a sense of power on the person involved.
• The excitement that results from such an activity.
• 2018 January 9, Surin Murugiah, “ Power trip shuts down Ophir field offshore Malaysia, says report”, in The Edge Markets ‎ [1] , retrieved 2023-08-17 : A power trip has shut down production from the Ophir field offshore Malaysia, according to a report by energy portal OffshoreEnergyToday.com .
• 2022 , Free Malaysia Today ‎ [2] : A power trip is when the circuit breakers in your house cut off power in one area or the entirety of your house.

Related terms [ edit ]

• power-tripping
• trip switch (may be related to sense 3)

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power trip noun

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What does the noun power trip mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun power trip . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun power trip ?

How is the noun power trip pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the noun power trip come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun power trip is in the 1960s.

OED's earliest evidence for power trip is from 1968, in Newsweek (New York).

power trip is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: power n. 1 , trip n. 1

Nearby entries

• power take-off, n. 1928–
• power tennis, n. 1940–
• power tie, n. 1984–
• power tool, n. 1878–
• power-to-weight ratio, n. 1937–
• power tower, n. 1912–
• power train, n. 1943–
• power transformer, n. 1929–
• power transistor, n. 1957–
• power trio, n. 1937–
• power trip, n. 1968–
• power-trip, v. 1987–
• power-tripping, n. 1971–
• power-tripping, adj. 1970–
• power tube, n. 1924–
• power unit, n. 1874–
• power-up, n. 1958–
• power user, n. 1885–
• power valve, n. 1919–
• power walk, n. 1986–
• power-walk, v. 1985–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for power trip, n..

power trip, n. was first published in December 2006.

power trip, n. was last modified in July 2023.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
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Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into power trip, n. in July 2023.

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Citation details

Factsheet for power trip, n., browse entry.

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Guilt/power/ego trip.

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A Yellowstone trip that ended with a man being arrested for kicking a bison

Yellowstone National Park officials say a man who kicked a bison in the leg was then hurt by one of the animals

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. -- A man who kicked a bison in the leg was then hurt by one of the animals in Yellowstone National Park, according to park officials.

Park rangers arrested and jailed him after he was treated for minor injuries.

Park rangers got a call about the man allegedly harassing a bison herd and kicking one of them about seven miles (11 kilometers) inside the park's west entrance on April 21.

Rangers stopped the man in a car driven by another person in nearby West Yellowstone, Montana, Yellowstone officials said in a release Monday.

Park officials didn't describe the 40-year-old man's injuries from the bison. He was charged with being under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and approaching and disturbing wildlife.

His 37-year-old companion was charged with driving under the influence, failing to yield to a police car and disturbing wildlife.

The two men from Idaho Falls, Idaho, pleaded not guilty in a court appearance April 22.

Bison are the largest land mammal in North America, with bulls weighing up to 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms). Despite their size, bison can sprint up to 40 mph (65 kilometers per hour). They routinely injure tourists who get too close.

Yellowstone officials urge people to stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) away from all large wildlife in the park.

Some Yellowstone facilities began opening for the busy summer season last week, a process that will continue into June.

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Definition of power trip noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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By Charlie Savage and Alan Feuer

Charlie Savage reported from Washington, and Alan Feuer from New York.

• April 25, 2024

The Supreme Court heard arguments on Thursday about Donald J. Trump’s claim that the federal charges accusing him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election must be thrown out because he is immune from being prosecuted for any official act he took as president.

Here are some takeaways.

Several justices seemed to want to define some level of official act as immune.

Although Mr. Trump’s claim of near-absolute immunity was seen as a long shot intended primarily to slow the proceedings, several members of the Republican-appointed majority seemed to indicate that some immunity was needed. Some of them expressed worry about the long-term consequences of leaving future former presidents open to prosecution for their official actions.

Among others, Justice Brett Kavanaugh compared the threat of prosecution for official acts to how a series of presidents were “hampered” by independent counsel investigations, criticizing a 1984 ruling that upheld a now-defunct law creating such prosecutors as one of the Supreme Court’s biggest mistakes. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. criticized an appeals court ruling rejecting immunity for Mr. Trump, saying he was concerned that it “did not get into a focused consideration of what acts we are talking about or what documents are talking about.”

“It’s a serious constitutional question whether a statute can be applied to the president’s official acts. So wouldn’t you always interpret the statute not to apply to the president, even under your formulation, unless Congress had spoken with some clarity?” “I don’t think across the board that as serious constitutional question exists on applying any criminal statute to the president.” “The problem is the vague statute — obstruction and 371, conspiracy to defraud the United States can be used against a lot of presidential activities historically with a creative prosecutor who wants to go after a president.” “I think that the question about the risk is very serious. And obviously it is a question that this court has to evaluate. For the executive branch, our view is that there is a balanced protection that better serves the interests of the Constitution that incorporates both accountability and protection for the president.”

The Democrat-appointed justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — asked questions indicating greater concern about opening the door for presidents to commit official crimes with impunity.

“This is what you’re asking us to say, which is that a president is entitled not to make a mistake — but more than that, a president is entitled for total personal gain to use the trappings of his office. That’s what you’re trying to get us to hold — without facing criminal liability.” “Your honor, I would say three things in response to that. First, the doctrine that immunity does not turn on the allegedly improper motivation or purpose is something that this court has reaffirmed in at least nine or 10 —” “That’s absolute immunity. But qualified immunity does say that whatever act you take has to be within what a reasonable person would do. I’m having a hard time thinking that creating false documents, that submitting false documents, that ordering the assassination of a rival, that accepting a bribe, and countless other laws that could be broken for personal gain, that anyone would say that it would be reasonable for a president or any public official to do that.”

The arguments signaled further delay and complications for a Trump trial.

If the Supreme Court does place limits on the ability of prosecutors to charge Mr. Trump over his official actions, it could alter the shape of his trial.

A decision to send all or part of the case back to the lower courts could further slow progress toward a trial, increasing the odds that it does not start before Election Day.

Of the matters listed in the indictment, some — like working with private lawyers to gin up slates of fraudulent electors — seem like the private actions of a candidate. Others — like pressuring the Justice Department and Vice President Mike Pence to do things — seem more like official acts he took in his role as president.

At one point, Justice Amy Coney Barrett suggested that prosecutors could simply drop Mr. Trump’s arguably official actions from their case and proceed to a swift trial focused only on his private actions. And D. John Sauer, the lawyer for Mr. Trump, told the court that no evidence of Mr. Trump’s official actions should be allowed into the trial.

But Michael R. Dreeben, a Justice Department lawyer arguing on behalf of the special counsel’s office, said the indictment laid out an “integrated conspiracy” in which Mr. Trump took the official actions to bolster the chances that his other efforts to overturn the election would succeed.

He argued that even if the court holds that Mr. Trump has immunity from liability for his official actions, prosecutors should still be allowed to present evidence about them to the jury because the actions are relevant to assessing his larger knowledge and intentions — just as speech that is protected by the First Amendment can still be used as evidence in a conspiracy case.

The hearing revolved around two very different ways of looking at the issue.

Looming over the hearing was a sweeping moral question: What effect might executive immunity have on the future of American politics?

Not surprisingly, the two sides saw things very differently.

Mr. Sauer claimed that without immunity, all presidents would be paralyzed by the knowledge that once they were out of office, they could face an onslaught of charges from their rivals based on the tough calls they had to make while in power. He pictured a dystopian world of ceaseless tit-for-tat political prosecutions that would destroy the “presidency as we know it.”

If a president can be charged, put on trial and imprisoned for his most controversial decisions as soon as he leaves office, that looming threat will distort the president’s decision-making precisely when bold and fearless action is most needed. Every current president will face de facto blackmail and extortion by his political rivals while he is still in office. The implications of the court’s decision here extend far beyond the facts of this case. Could President George W. Bush have been sent to prison for obstructing an official proceeding or allegedly lying to Congress to induce war in Iraq? Could President Obama be charged with murder for killing U.S. citizens abroad by drone strike? Could President Biden someday be charged with unlawfully inducing immigrants to enter the country illegally for his border policies? The answer to all these questions is no.

Envisioning the opposite scenario, Mr. Dreeben worried that any form of blanket immunity would place presidents entirely outside of the rule of law and encourage them to commit crimes, including “bribery, treason, sedition, even murder,” with impunity.

“The framers knew too well the dangers of a king who could do no wrong,” he said.

This court has never recognized absolute criminal immunity for any public official. Petitioner, however, claims that a former president has permanent criminal immunity for his official acts unless he was first impeached and convicted. His novel theory would immunize former presidents for criminal liability; for bribery, treason, sedition, murder and here, conspiring to use fraud to overturn the results of an election and perpetuate himself in power. Such presidential immunity has no foundation in the Constitution. The framers knew too well the dangers of a king who could do no wrong.

Both sides found advocates for their positions on the court.

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. clearly seemed worried that without some form of criminal immunity, former presidents would be vulnerable to partisan warfare as their successors used the courts to go after them once they were out of office. And that, he added, could lead to endless cycles of retribution that would be a risk to “stable, democratic society.”

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson appeared more concerned that if presidents were in fact shielded by immunity, they would be unbounded by the law and could turn the Oval Office into what she described as “the seat of criminality.”

If someone with those kinds of powers, the most powerful person in the world with the greatest amount of authority, could go into office knowing that there would be no potential penalty for committing crimes, I’m trying to understand what the disincentive is from turning the Oval Office into the seat of criminal activity in this country? If the potential for criminal liability is taken off the table, wouldn’t there be a significant risk that future presidents would be emboldened to commit crimes with abandon while they’re in office? It’s right now the fact that we’re having this debate, because O.L.C. has said that presidents might be prosecuted. Presidents from the beginning of time have understood that that’s a possibility. That might be what has kept this office from turning into the kind of crime center that I’m envisioning. But once we say no criminal liability, Mr. President, you can do whatever you want, I’m worried that we would have a worse problem than the problem of the president feeling constrained to follow the law while he’s in office.

What happens next?

There did not seem to be a lot of urgency among the justices — especially the conservative ones — to ensure that the immunity question was resolved quickly. That left open the possibility that Mr. Trump could avoid being tried on charges of plotting to overturn the last election until well after voters went to the polls to decide whether to choose him as president in this election.

And if he is elected, any trial could be put off while he is in office, or he could order the charges against him dropped.

It could take some time for the court to do its own analysis of what presidential acts should qualify for the protections of immunity. And even if the justices determine that at least some of the allegations against Mr. Trump are fair game for prosecution, if they do not issue a ruling until late June or early July, it could be difficult to hold a trial before November.

That would become all but impossible if the court took a different route and sent the analysis back to the trial judge, Tanya S. Chutkan. If Judge Chutkan were ordered to hold further hearings on which of the indictment’s numerous allegations were official acts of Mr. Trump’s presidency and which were private acts he took as a candidate for office, the process could take months and last well into 2025.

Charlie Savage writes about national security and legal policy. More about Charlie Savage

Alan Feuer covers extremism and political violence for The Times, focusing on the criminal cases involving the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and against former President Donald J. Trump.  More about Alan Feuer