crony

noun

cro·​ny ˈkrō-nē How to pronounce crony (audio)
plural cronies
Synonyms of crony
: 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.
Both political factions’ cronies continually flatter and lie to them about how things are going. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026 Morgan and her Judgment Day cronies tried to bribe Danhausen to put curses on their opponents. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 28 June 2026 Of course, 90 percent bankrolled by Sepp Blatter and his cronies, the critical flop (a zero Rotten Tomatoes rating) and commercial loser ($171,000 at the box office against a $30 million budget, America’s lowest-grossing opening ever) was never going to paint a well-balanced picture. Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 2026 Meanwhile, Springfield Democrats shouldn’t be quaking in their shoes at this temper tantrum from their cronies in organized labor. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Crony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crony. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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

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