cronyism

noun

cro·ny·ism ˈkrō-nē-ˌi-zəm

: partiality to cronies especially as evidenced in the appointment of political hangers-on to office without regard to their qualifications

Did you know?

The word cronyism evolved in the 19th century as a spin-off of crony, meaning “friend” or “pal.” In its younger days, cronyism simply meant “friendship,” or “the ability to make friends.” The word didn’t turn bad until the next century, when Americans starting using it to refer to the act of playing political favorites. If cronyism is new to your vocabulary, perhaps you’re more familiar with the related term nepotism, meaning “favoritism based on kinship, especially in professional and political contexts.”

Examples of cronyism in a Sentence

The mayor has been accused of cronyism.

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.

Saturday Night, one of the livelier films from 2024, offers a glimpse at TV hubris and yet the secrets of show business (nepotism, cronyism) remain hidden. —

Armond White, National Review, 1 Jan. 2025 Decades of cronyism and sanctions have stifled entrepreneurship, leaving businesses hesitant to invest in a coercive and opaque environment. —

Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024 To Pei, China represents not so much an economic miracle as the triumph of guanxi, the Chinese term for the connections that fuel cronyism and self-dealing. —

Dali Yang, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2017 At the same time, Hanson said, history shows the public traditionally has been against corruption, cronyism and other questionable behavior by public officials. —

Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cronyism