Appointment of friends to jobs, regardless of qualifications

• Playing favorites
• Favouritism shown to friends and associates
• Partiality in job appointments
• Getting mates in party at end of day - is money overcoming resistance?
• Buddies-first mentality
• Favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications)

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Word definitions in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
noun EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS ▪ For one, they say, she is an outsider in an administration where cronyism has created problems. ▪ High unemployment, non-payment of state wages and pensions and official cronyism and corruption will all be election issues. ▪ ...

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications)

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. favoritism to friends without regard for their qualifications, especially by appointing them to political positions.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1840, "friendship," from crony + -ism . Meaning "appointment of friends to important positions, regardless of ability" is originally American English, from c.1950.