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
Every American should reject the president's and his cronies' illegitimate use of government power to attack his enemies.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Dissidents describe a pattern: autocrats and their cronies use even the most minor personal scandal to undermine the credibility of activists and weaken their movements.
—Julia Angwin, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2025
Trump, Musk, and their billionaire cronies are orchestrating an all-out assault on our government, our economy, and our basic rights—enabled by Congress every step of the way.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
But President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, who served as prime minister, maintained tax breaks for cronies.
—Elizabeth David-Barrett, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crony
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.
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Dissidents describe a pattern: autocrats and their cronies use even the most minor personal scandal to undermine the credibility of activists and weaken their movements.
—Julia Angwin, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2025
Trump, Musk, and their billionaire cronies are orchestrating an all-out assault on our government, our economy, and our basic rights—enabled by Congress every step of the way.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
But President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, who served as prime minister, maintained tax breaks for cronies.
—Elizabeth David-Barrett, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crony
Cite this Entry
“Crony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crony. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share