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
To reduce prices, Congress needs to cut spending while slashing crony regulations, especially in health care and environmental mandates that drive up prices in housing, food and energy.
—
Peter St. Onge, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
This state judge and her cronies allegedly abused that high honor for personal gain by preying on the needy protected by the court.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
And the job is to separate those working-class voters from the cronies.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
That will benefit crony capitalists, not consumers.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crony
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Peter St. Onge, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
This state judge and her cronies allegedly abused that high honor for personal gain by preying on the needy protected by the court.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
And the job is to separate those working-class voters from the cronies.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
That will benefit crony capitalists, not consumers.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crony
Cite this Entry
“Crony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crony. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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