What does "cronyism" mean?
Favouritism to friends without regard for their qualifications; especially (politics), in their appointment to political positions.
Cronyism
/ˈkɹəʊnɪɪz(ə)m/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Favouritism to friends without regard for their qualifications; especially (politics), in their appointment to political positions.
- Grammar: cronyism is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: favoritism, nepotism, patronage, prejudice.
- Useful contrasts: civil service merit, meritocracies.
- Usage evidence: [T]he present structure of the collective bargaining agreement, combined with nepotism and cronyism and other abuses in employment and referral practices, have perpetuated the effects of the past discrimination, […]
How to use "cronyism"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cronyism" in a final draft.
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Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cronyism" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 Favouritism to friends without regard for their qualifications; especially (politics), in their appointment to political positions. countable, derogatory, uncountable
"[T]he present structure of the collective bargaining agreement, combined with nepotism and cronyism and other abuses in employment and referral practices, have perpetuated the effects of the past discrimination, […]"
- 2 favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications) wordnet
- 3 The condition of being friends; friendship; also, the ability or inclination to make friends. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"[T]he preacher […] was reading to them the duty of loving one another as Christians, But only particularly and exclusively were they to love one another "as Christians," that is as confederates and caballers together in a particular interest, distinct from that of the great family of mankind; […] The benefit to themselves from this Free-masonry sectarian cronyism, (for which the uninitiated world is so much obliged to them) was, to be, that […] [t]he spirit of God was to bear witness with their spirits, and to settle the matter of faith with a degree of conviction, that should render reason superfluous and inquiry unnecessary."
Antonyms
civil service meritmeritocracies
Example
"[T]he present structure of the collective bargaining agreement, combined with nepotism and cronyism and other abuses in employment and referral practices, have perpetuated the effects of the past discrimination, […]"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cronyism"?
Common synonyms include: favoritism, nepotism, patronage, prejudice.
How do you use "cronyism" in a sentence?
[T]he present structure of the collective bargaining agreement, combined with nepotism and cronyism and other abuses in employment and referral practices, have perpetuated the effects of the past discrimination, […]
How do you pronounce "cronyism"?
Pronounced /ˈkɹəʊnɪɪz(ə)m/.
Etymology
From crony (“close friend”) + -ism (suffix forming names of a tendency of action, behaviour, condition, opinion, or state belonging to a class or group of persons).