crony

[ˈkrəʊni]

crony Definition

a close friend or companion, especially one who is dishonest or unscrupulous.

Using crony: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "crony" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  He was accused of giving government contracts to his cronies.

• Example

  The CEO's cronies were all promoted to top positions in the company.

• Example

  The politician's cronyism was widely criticized by the media.

crony Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for crony

• associate
• comrade
• partner
• ally
• colleague

Antonyms for crony

• opponent
• adversary
• rival

Idioms Using crony

• in cahoots with someone

  secretly collaborating with someone, often for dishonest purposes

  Example

  The CEO was in cahoots with his cronies to embezzle money from the company.

• birds of a feather flock together

  people with similar interests or backgrounds tend to associate with each other

  Example

  The politician and his cronies were all from wealthy families and went to the same elite schools - birds of a feather flock together.

• scratch each other's back

  to help each other out, often in a way that involves mutual benefit or favors

  Example

  The CEO and his cronies would scratch each other's back by awarding each other lucrative contracts and promotions.

Phrases with crony

• old crony

  a long-time friend or companion

  Example

  I'm meeting up with some old cronies from college this weekend.

• crony capitalism

  an economic system characterized by close relationships between business people and government officials

  Example

  The country's economy is plagued by crony capitalism, with government contracts being awarded to friends and family members of politicians.

• crony network

  a group of people who are closely connected through personal relationships, often used in a negative sense

  Example

  The company's success was due to its crony network of executives and politicians.

Origins of crony

originally from Greek 'khronios', meaning 'long-lasting'

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Summary: crony in Brief

'Crony' [ˈkrəʊni] refers to a close friend or companion, often with negative connotations of dishonesty or unscrupulousness. It is commonly used in contexts of politics and business, such as 'The CEO's cronies were all promoted to top positions in the company.' 'Crony' extends into phrases like 'old crony,' and idioms like 'in cahoots with someone,' denoting secret collaboration, and 'birds of a feather flock together,' implying similar interests or backgrounds.