cronyism

noun

Definition of cronyismnext
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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Example Sentences

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.
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 And to society, the implications of such blatant cronyism could be sweeping, from atrophying regulation and loss of accountability to further concentration of power and money among the wealthiest people on Earth. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 18 June 2026 In 2002 the Editorial Board of this newspaper began publishing allegations detailing kickbacks by the DA’s staff, cronyism, and political prosecutions. — John O’Hara, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026 This World Cup lead-up has also been about the FIFAfication of America, where even notorious former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter blanches at the level of cronyism, politicization and money-grabbing on display. — Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cronyism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cronyism
  1. prejudice
  2. bias
  3. nepotism
  4. favoritism
Noun
  • For much of the past several decades, overt expressions of racial prejudice became increasingly socially unacceptable in mainstream public life.
    — Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Ableism is the everyday prejudice — sometimes subtle, sometimes overt — that treats people with disabilities as inconvenient, less competent, or less deserving of respect and opportunity.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
Definition of prejudice
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Grok showed the strongest biases, highly favoring Catholics and Protestants while showing an aversion for Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baha’i and Hindus.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • In fact, Smith has long argued that the NFL has overlooked Black candidates at those positions because of racial bias.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of bias
Noun
  • In an unstable industry with IP, nepotism and maybe even now artificial intelligence ruling supreme, Ridd and Boa have doubled down on emerging filmmakers with original stories.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026
  • Gracie Abrams understands why people bring her up in conversations about nepotism.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 27 June 2026
Definition of nepotism
Noun
  • Suddenly, a conversation about roof repairs somehow becomes a debate about fairness, favoritism and something that happened at Thanksgiving 10 years ago.
    — David Crown, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Goldstein remained with the band through the late-’90s/early 2000s recording of the album Chinese Democracy, often weathering accusations of favoritism toward one band member or another.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 26 June 2026
Definition of favoritism

Browse Nearby Words

crony
cronyism
crook
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Cite this Entry

“Cronyism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cronyism. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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