as in prejudice
disapproving
the unfair practice by a powerful person (such as a politician) of giving jobs and other favors to friends
The mayor has been accused of cronyism.
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Recent Examples of cronyism
But even where governments did embrace reforms, cronyism and corruption ensured that protectionism endured.
—
Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
Musk had pushed to install his friend Jared Isaacman as head of the agency—a move that stank of cronyism.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
The filing comes days after four high-ranking former New York City police officials filed a separate suit alleging that Adams doled out patronage promotions and a culture of cronyism in the NYPD, according to the Associated Press.
—James Powel, USA Today, 17 July 2025
An American charity that has raised hundreds of millions of dollars by promising to meet the emergency needs of Israeli soldiers after the war in Gaza broke out is now facing internal turmoil over allegations of financial mismanagement, cronyism, and a toxic workplace culture.
—Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cronyism
Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
Musk had pushed to install his friend Jared Isaacman as head of the agency—a move that stank of cronyism.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
The filing comes days after four high-ranking former New York City police officials filed a separate suit alleging that Adams doled out patronage promotions and a culture of cronyism in the NYPD, according to the Associated Press.
—James Powel, USA Today, 17 July 2025
An American charity that has raised hundreds of millions of dollars by promising to meet the emergency needs of Israeli soldiers after the war in Gaza broke out is now facing internal turmoil over allegations of financial mismanagement, cronyism, and a toxic workplace culture.
—Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cronyism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cronyism
Noun
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Because even tradition or local can become a prejudice.—
Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Research shows making friends with people who are different from us (especially in certain non-hierarchichal environments) is statistically a very significant way of reducing prejudice.—
Sarah Stein Lubrano,
Mercury News,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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However, that isn’t the case, suggesting that there is a gender bias across all industries and backgrounds.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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The most subjective of all the beauty categories, fragrance is incredibly tricky to judge—bound up in biases (not to mention allergies), personal memories, and cultural preferences.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This has provoked inevitable eye-rolling about nepotism, but Mann is a comedic star in her own right.—
Adrienne LaFrance,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
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Political nepotism perpetuates the recycling of the same leaders, leaving young people without representation or a voice in governance.—
Sonal Nain,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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These licensing waivers are lawful in themselves, but Drake’s lawsuit claims they were weaponized for competitive advantage, raising questions about transparency, favoritism and whether artists outside the major label system can ever truly compete on equal footing.—
Jared Brenner,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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During Thursday’s hearing, Senate Democrats noted the White House’s apparent favoritism toward Kennedy.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cronyism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cronyism. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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