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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cronyism
Decades of cronyism and sanctions have stifled entrepreneurship, leaving businesses hesitant to invest in a coercive and opaque environment.
—
Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
To Pei, China represents not so much an economic miracle as the triumph of guanxi, the Chinese term for the connections that fuel cronyism and self-dealing.
—Dali Yang, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2017
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
See all Example Sentences for cronyism 
Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
To Pei, China represents not so much an economic miracle as the triumph of guanxi, the Chinese term for the connections that fuel cronyism and self-dealing.
—Dali Yang, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2017
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
See all Example Sentences for cronyism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cronyism
Noun
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What to Know On Friday, the plaintiff submitted paperwork to voluntarily dismiss the case with prejudice.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
15 Feb. 2025
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However, due to a clerical error, the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the charges without prejudice, allowing for the case to be refiled if new evidence surfaced.—
Nayeli Jaramillo-Plata,
CNN,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Vivian reports on how Trump talked about Christians as a group being persecuted and how if elected again would even launch an anti-Christian bias task force.—
Duane W. Gang,
The Tennessean,
10 Feb. 2025
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Gomez has been more vocal about the threat to journalism posed by the FCC’s aggressive stance on subjective questions of media bias.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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As for underlying causes, some, like Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, pointed to networking — and nepotism.—
Howard Fendrich,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2025
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The county was found to be one of the only in the Bay Area without an ethics policy or whistleblower procedure, and the report mentioned instances of nepotism and lack of oversight with spending public funds.—
Caelyn Pender,
The Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Christina thinks her mom's natural bias and Dominique's favoritism toward her will lock in a win against Tarek and his new wife Heather Rae El Moussa.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
People.com,
6 Feb. 2025
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League accused of favoritism toward Thomas The plaintiffs say they were discouraged from expressing disagreement with the university’s stand to accommodate Thomas, who had previously competed on the UPenn men’s swimming team, including Thomas’ presence in women’s locker rooms.—
Andy Rose,
CNN,
6 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near cronyism
Cite this Entry
“Cronyism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cronyism. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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