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
Idioms Using crony
Example
The CEO was in cahoots with his cronies to embezzle money from the company.
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.
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
Example
I'm meeting up with some old cronies from college this weekend.
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.
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'
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.