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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
At the same time, Hanson said, history shows the public traditionally has been against corruption, cronyism and other questionable behavior by public officials.
—
Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 4 Dec. 2024
The prospect of a new Trump Administration calls for the next injunction, as transition reports ricochet between outlandish cabinet picks, mass deportation plans, crushing tariff schedules, cronyism, and enemies’ lists.
—Nancy Gibbs, TIME, 4 Dec. 2024
To all this, the alleged purists will stomp their feet about cronyism and other negatives.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Our stories have focused on the conflicts of interest Trump’s stake in the company present and allegations of mismanagement and cronyism within the company.
—ProPublica, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cronyism 
Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 4 Dec. 2024
The prospect of a new Trump Administration calls for the next injunction, as transition reports ricochet between outlandish cabinet picks, mass deportation plans, crushing tariff schedules, cronyism, and enemies’ lists.
—Nancy Gibbs, TIME, 4 Dec. 2024
To all this, the alleged purists will stomp their feet about cronyism and other negatives.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Our stories have focused on the conflicts of interest Trump’s stake in the company present and allegations of mismanagement and cronyism within the company.
—ProPublica, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for cronyism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cronyism
Noun
-
My family moved here because of its lack of prejudice—being Jewish, my father, an engineer, couldn’t get a job in Boston around 1945 because of antisemitism.—
Allure Editors,
Allure,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Many filmmakers try to disguise their less socially acceptable prejudices, their impolite fears, dislikes and worse, but Lynch always seemed unafraid or maybe uninterested or just unaware about what others thought of his uglier visions.—
Manohla Dargis,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Research shows that education helps reduce prejudice and bias.—
Hannah Rosenthal and David Saperstein,
Newsweek,
29 Jan. 2025
-
The case has been criticized due to allegations of trial misconduct, including conflicting testimony, withheld evidence and potential juror bias, USA TODAY reported.—
Chris Mueller,
USA TODAY,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Critics cried nepotism and lamented Robert F. Kennedy’s lack of qualifications and prior experience.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Her position at time sparked backlash from critics who accused the president of nepotism over his decision to bring his family members into official positions at the White House.—
Andrew Stanton,
Newsweek,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Parental favoritism can have lasting effects, including a higher risk for the unfavored child of developing mental health problems and unhealthy relationships.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Health,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Avoid showing excessive favoritism or being unnecessarily harsh or aloof.—
Kathleen Shanley,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near cronyism
Cite this Entry
“Cronyism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cronyism. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share