I didn’t respond earlier, because I was trying to remember those times in my past when I thought someone might have been on a power trip, and how I might describe it in an academic paper, trying to avoid the common terminology.
I believe egomaniacal is too general, and, somehow, misses the mark. But it’s a great word!
Arrogant is the right attitude, but somehow that doesn’t catch it exactly, either. I might be very tempted to use the term imperious, though—has a nice ring to it!
I think the missing element here is control, because it’s that aspect of power that bothers us in the power-tripper. In that sense, control freak is another common term used to describe such people.
Perhaps there’s also a sense of patronizing...?
Tyrannizing fits the bill… Also despotic.
It’s difficult to find a non-slang word that can substitute for a common term, isn’t it!
-Tim
P.S. I meant to also say that authoritarian is probably the best all-around replacement.
