crony

noun

cro·​ny ˈkrō-nē How to pronounce crony (audio)
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
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 current president and his cronies are openly selling out our country to the highest bidders and attempting to destroy our free press and institutions, all while enriching themselves. Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025 Why do Donald Trump and his cronies need access to millions of Americans' private data? Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025 The Syrian leader has placed his family members and cronies in essential posts. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 14 May 2025 The nuclear behemoth is closely associated with Mikhail Kovalchuk, President of the famed Kurchatov Institute for nuclear physics, a Putin crony and supporter of the Ukraine war. Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for crony

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Greek chronios long-lasting, from chronos time

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crony was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crony. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

crony

noun
cro·​ny ˈkrō-nē How to pronounce crony (audio)
plural cronies
: a close companion : pal
politicians who get jobs for their cronies

More from Merriam-Webster on crony

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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