crony

noun

cro·​ny ˈkrō-nē How to pronounce crony (audio)
plural cronies
: a close friend usually of long standing : pal
played golf with his cronies
often, specifically : a person who unfairly receives special treatment see also cronyism, crony capitalism

Examples of crony in a Sentence

The mayor rewarded his cronies with high-paying jobs after he was elected. the criminal's cronies were also closely questioned about the illegal gambling operation
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The cronies are already loading up the HVAC at the U.N. Building with the canisters, on the verge of taking out the General Assembly and, in the process, poisoning thousands of people across mid-Manhattan. Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2025 These skyrocketing costs are borne entirely by regular Russian citizens, not by Putin’s cronies. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 23 Jan. 2025 But even for Ukrainians accustomed to a high level of systemic corruption, the abuses alleged against Zelensky and his cronies in the midst of this brutal war spark an understandable resentment. Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025 Prosecutors argue that Madigan gave favorable legislation to the energy company in exchange for jobs for his political cronies. Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 7 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for crony 

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Greek chronios long-lasting, from chronos time

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crony was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near crony

Cite this Entry

“Crony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crony. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

crony

noun
cro·​ny ˈkrō-nē How to pronounce crony (audio)
plural cronies
: a close companion : pal
politicians who get jobs for their cronies

More from Merriam-Webster on crony

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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