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
Donlon’s lawsuit was just one of several complaints brought by veteran police officials who alleged a culture of rampant corruption and cronyism within the agency during Adams' time as mayor.
—
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
My first act will be to audit the agency, cut waste, end cronyism, & make sure every dollar serves Texas farmers, ranchers, and consumers—not political insiders.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, became the most costly in history—and although politics and cronyism played a role, the lack of existing ski infrastructure was also a major factor.
—Laura Millan, Bloomberg, 4 Feb. 2026
But in America, backroom deals, cronyism, and countless middle players proliferate in the dark and drive costs into the stratosphere.
—Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cronyism
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
My first act will be to audit the agency, cut waste, end cronyism, & make sure every dollar serves Texas farmers, ranchers, and consumers—not political insiders.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, became the most costly in history—and although politics and cronyism played a role, the lack of existing ski infrastructure was also a major factor.
—Laura Millan, Bloomberg, 4 Feb. 2026
But in America, backroom deals, cronyism, and countless middle players proliferate in the dark and drive costs into the stratosphere.
—Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cronyism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cronyism
Noun
-
Sely embodies resilience against prejudice as her struggle for equality and respect as an immigrant woman paved the way for future generations.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The patterns were strong enough to predict which robot would be picked for which role, yet participants explained themselves in the neutral language of practicality, not prejudice.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When asked to evaluate the athletes based on their stats alone, without knowing their race, that bias disappeared.—
Megan Molteni,
STAT,
7 Apr. 2026
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For years, Musk has accused both Delaware and California of bias against him or his companies, moving Tesla and SpaceX headquarters from California to Texas, and reincorporating his businesses, former Delaware corporations, in Nevada and Texas.—
Ashley Capoot,Kate Rooney,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Missouri Auditor’s Office began investigating the village in 2024 after receiving a whistleblower complaint alleging nepotism and conflicts of interest.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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But nepotism rules everything around me, so why not The Immortal Man?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Reality, in the form of age and favoritism, says Sieler, the 2024 team MVP, is a bit of an outsider.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
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Still, Chief Wallabee, who is owned by Michael and Katherine Ball, has shown enough promise to merit favoritism — and possibly get Mott into the Florida Derby winner’s circle for the first time.—
Clark Spencer,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cronyism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cronyism. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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