crony

noun

cro·​ny ˈkrō-nē 

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

Synonyms of crony

• associate
• colleague
• buddy
• friend
• accomplice
• peer
• comrade

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

Does anyone have money to spend on talent other than these tech companies and their cronies that have seemingly popped out of thin air? — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026

The Student List, as it’s called, now faces the task of bringing transparency and accountability to a government soaked in crony corruption. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Oct. 2026

Most concerning of all was Dolan’s installation of his longtime crony, Isaiah Thomas, on the board of a new corporate entity that controlled the Knicks. — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026

The season finale feels like an afterthought, as Elias and his Bellflower cronies arrive in Crystal Lake for a final showdown against Pam, Levon, and Brianna. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Greek chronios long-lasting, from chronos time

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing crony

• crony capitalism

Rhymes for crony

• boney
• boni
• bony
• coney
• monie
• mony
• phoney
• phony
• stoney
• stony
• toney
• tony

Kids Definition

crony

noun

cro·​ny ˈkrō-nē 

plural cronies

: a close companion : pal

politicians who get jobs for their cronies