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Glite Dictionary
rampant cronyism

rampant cronyism

8.3
Giving jobs or benefits to friends instead of more qualified people
  • noun
  • /ˈræmpənt ˈkroʊniˌɪzəm/
translation icon : clientelismo desenfrenado
  • Political analysts warned that rampant cronyism could undermine public trust in the government.

Examples

  • The company was plagued by rampant cronyism, making it hard for qualified outsiders to advance.

  • The company is suffering from rampant cronyism.

  • Accusations of rampant cronyism led to public outrage and demands for reform.

  • Many employees are frustrated by rampant cronyism in promotions.

  • The company's downfall was largely due to rampant cronyism, as promotions were given to friends instead of the most qualified candidates.

  • Many employees were frustrated by the rampant cronyism in the organization, where personal connections often replaced merit in hiring decisions.

  • In the small town, rampant cronyism meant that only those with local ties received government contracts, leaving others without opportunities.

Synonyms

favoritism
vsrampant cronyism
  • US
23 3.9

Giving one person or group better treatment than others

is specifically about widespread appointment advantages, not general partiality
cronyism
vsrampant cronyism
  • Literature
15 8.4

Giving jobs or positions to friends instead of qualified people

is the same practice but occurs widely and disregards merit
patronage
vsrampant cronyism
  • Formal
13 7.4

A government gives jobs or favors to supporters in return for political help

often means favoring friends widely rather than only exchanging support
spoils system
vsrampant cronyism
1 8.5

Giving government jobs to supporters of the winning party

applies more broadly to widespread favoritism across many appointments
clientelism
vsrampant cronyism
  • Specialized
9.5

A system where people in power give jobs or money to supporters for loyalty

focuses more on broad appointment favoritism than reciprocal client exchanges
jobbery
vsrampant cronyism
  • Archaic
9.9

Using a public office to get personal money or benefits

is about giving friends wide appointment advantages rather than personal profit

Antonyms

fairness
236 1.9

Treating people equally and without bias

meritocracy
12 7.6

A society where people get jobs because of their skills and hard work, not money

How Widespread

rampant cronyism
8.3
cronyism
  • Literature
15 8.4
favoritism
  • US
23 3.9

Surface Forms

rampant cronyism singular
rampant cronyisms plural

Morphology

rampant + cronyism

The adjective 'rampant' (widespread/out of control) directly modifies 'cronyism' (favoring friends), so the overall meaning — widespread favoritism — is transparently derived from the constituents. A B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer this sense without prior exposure.

Etymology

Rampant cronyism comes from the words rampant, meaning 'spreading everywhere', and cronyism, from 'crony' meaning 'a close friend'. Picture people in power filling many jobs and giving many favors to their friends so unfair help is all around, and that's why the phrase means 'widespread favoritism to friends' instead of choosing people for skill.