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
This represents one major leap in the direction of authoritarianism — the president directly raiding the public coffers to enrich cronies, not just via his corrupt business dealings and pseudo-bribes from foreign governments, but straight up getting checks from the public treasury.
—
The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2026
The former official estimated that the state has seized around $60 billion in assets from private businessmen over the past three years, either outright nationalizing their property or redistributing it to cronies.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Limbo also marks a decisive break from the arch stylings of Cook and his cronies in favor of sounds that feel really good in your chest.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026
And so every May, around the time of the Derby, the NBA legend and his cronies would come to Harmony Landing for at least one round of golf.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for crony
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.
The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2026
The former official estimated that the state has seized around $60 billion in assets from private businessmen over the past three years, either outright nationalizing their property or redistributing it to cronies.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Limbo also marks a decisive break from the arch stylings of Cook and his cronies in favor of sounds that feel really good in your chest.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026
And so every May, around the time of the Derby, the NBA legend and his cronies would come to Harmony Landing for at least one round of golf.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 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 26 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
