What does cronyism mean?
Cronyism is the practice of giving jobs, contracts, or other advantages to one's close friends and associates rather than to the best-qualified candidates. The term applies most often to politics and public administration, where officials are accused of rewarding loyal companions with ambassadorships, directorships, or lucrative government deals, but it also describes similar favoritism within companies and institutions. Cronyism is invariably used as a criticism: it implies that personal loyalty has displaced merit, competence, and fair process. It sits alongside nepotism — favoritism toward relatives — as one of the standard terms for corrupt preferential treatment, though it refers specifically to friends rather than family. Related phrases include 'crony capitalism', describing economies where business success depends on political connections. The word derives from 'crony', itself likely from seventeenth-century Cambridge slang meaning an intimate friend. Because it names a persistent feature of power everywhere — the tendency of the powerful to surround themselves with allies — cronyism remains one of the most frequently invoked words in political accountability debates worldwide.
nounThe practice of appointing friends or associates to positions of authority, especially public office, without proper regard for their qualifications. It denotes favoritism shown to long-standing companions in business or politics.
- The appointment of friends or associates to positions without regard to merit, typically in government or business.
"The scandal exposed years of cronyism, with lucrative contracts awarded to the governor's old college friends."
"Critics accused the administration of cronyism after several unqualified donors were given ambassadorships."
"The firm's board was criticized for cronyism when the chief executive's golfing partner secured the top finance post."
Rarely pluralized; the singular is overwhelmingly preferred even when referring to multiple instances, which are usually described collectively.
"The report catalogued the administration's many cronyisms over its eight-year term."
The word 'crony' likely began as 17th-century Cambridge student slang for a study companion — and ended up naming one of politics' oldest sins.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cronyism
Cronyism derives from 'crony', a term for a close friend that emerged in English during the seventeenth century, possibly as Cambridge University student slang. The origin of 'crony' itself is uncertain; one common theory links it to Greek 'chronios' (long-lasting), via the notion of a long-standing friend, though this connection is debated by etymologists. By the nineteenth century, 'cronyism' had formed to describe the practice of favoring such old friends with appointments and privileges, particularly in American political discourse surrounding the spoils system.
Related word forms
How cronyism is actually used
Cronyism carries a strongly negative connotation and is almost always used critically or pejoratively, particularly in political journalism and commentary on institutional governance.
Easily confused with cronyism
Nepotism is favoritism specifically toward family members, whereas cronyism favors friends and close associates.
A crony is the friend or associate themselves, while cronyism is the practice or system of favoring such people.