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
And at a time when the president of the United States and his cronies have embarked on a bid to make the country less democratic and less pluralistic, a media company that has shown a clear willingness to align itself with that mission is about to get dramatically bigger.
—
Josef Adalian, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Did Iran nominate Bibi cronies with inexperienced backgrounds to run Israel’s most important security organizations — the Shin Bet and Mossad?
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026
Such gyrations undermine the stable legal environment essential for businesses, consumers, and investors, and create endless opportunities to reward cronies and punish political adversaries.
—Ilya Somin, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Of course, by then our 47th president and his cronies will be long gone, but those who struggle to survive the violent disruption of climate change will curse the man whose mindless decision in 2026 spelled the end of a global attempt to save the planet.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crony
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Josef Adalian, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Did Iran nominate Bibi cronies with inexperienced backgrounds to run Israel’s most important security organizations — the Shin Bet and Mossad?
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026
Such gyrations undermine the stable legal environment essential for businesses, consumers, and investors, and create endless opportunities to reward cronies and punish political adversaries.
—Ilya Somin, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Of course, by then our 47th president and his cronies will be long gone, but those who struggle to survive the violent disruption of climate change will curse the man whose mindless decision in 2026 spelled the end of a global attempt to save the planet.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 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 28 Feb. 2026.
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