as in prejudice
disapproving
the unfair practice by a powerful person (such as a politician) of giving jobs and other favors to friends
The mayor has been accused of cronyism.
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Recent Examples of cronyism
These swift moves from Magyar reflect his promise to sweep away the corruption, cronyism and Kremlin allyship that European officials and watchdogs say plagued Orbán's Hungary.
—
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 19 Apr. 2026
Political players’ seeking to manipulate the game with cronyism or nepotism is no way to regain the public trust.
—Michelle Cottle, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
The role of Mahama’s brother in mining deals has been controversial, and the president has repeatedly denied accusations of cronyism.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
But controversial government efforts to redress inequalities have been plagued by corruption and cronyism.
—Michael H Gavshon, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cronyism
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 19 Apr. 2026
Political players’ seeking to manipulate the game with cronyism or nepotism is no way to regain the public trust.
—Michelle Cottle, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
The role of Mahama’s brother in mining deals has been controversial, and the president has repeatedly denied accusations of cronyism.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
But controversial government efforts to redress inequalities have been plagued by corruption and cronyism.
—Michael H Gavshon, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cronyism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cronyism
Noun
-
The suit was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice in February 2025, and both men denied the allegations.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
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So the researchers set out to examine how self-narratives could counteract prior experiences of prejudice.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The growing use of facial recognition has broadened concerns about accuracy and bias.—
Vijayan Asari,
The Conversation,
2 June 2026
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Research highlighted by Harvard Business Review found that workplace bias frequently shapes how women’s competence and authority are perceived throughout their careers.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Noun
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During a July 2007 interview with Pop Matters, Joe addressed the nepotism involved in his band getting the gig to open up for The Police.—
Francesca Gariano,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
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Two years into Bronny James’ NBA career, in the postseason spotlight, cries of nepotism will have to wait for the bench minutes the Lakers actually need from the 21-year-old guard.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This favoritism is driven by legacy preferences, athletic recruitment and nonacademic ratings that reward expensive resume-building, yet elite universities remain reluctant to change these practices.—
Prasad Krishnamurthy,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
When politics, favoritism or silence around problems replace merit and transparency, trust erodes quickly.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cronyism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cronyism. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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