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
Her earliest moments in the show have shades of a western—No Country for Old Men with a side of devout Trump supporters, sniffer dogs, petrifying cronies, and balloons stuffed with fentanyl and swallowed with lube.
—
Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2026
Too many department heads are cronies, not experienced experts.
—Hal Valderhaug, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Slowly, Castro’s cronies built a kleptocracy that proved ruinous to the Cuban people, but hugely profitable to them.
—Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Perpetuating the Castros or some of their cronies….
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crony
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Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2026
Too many department heads are cronies, not experienced experts.
—Hal Valderhaug, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
Slowly, Castro’s cronies built a kleptocracy that proved ruinous to the Cuban people, but hugely profitable to them.
—Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Perpetuating the Castros or some of their cronies….
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 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 15 Apr. 2026.
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