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nepotism

American  
[nep-uh-tiz-uhm] / ˈnɛp əˌtɪz əm /

noun

  1. patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics.

    She was accused of nepotism when she made her nephew an officer of the firm.
nepotism British  
/ nɪˈpɒtɪk, ˈnɛpəˌtɪzəm /

noun

  1. favouritism shown to relatives or close friends by those with power or influence

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
nepotism Cultural  

  1. Favoritism granted to relatives or close friends, without regard to their merit. Nepotism usually takes the form of employing relatives or appointing them to high office.

Other Word Forms

  • antinepotism noun
  • nepotic adjective
  • nepotist noun
  • nepotistic adjective
  • nepotistical adjective

Etymology

Origin of nepotism

From the Italian word nepotismo, dating back to 1655–65. See nephew, -ism

Compare meaning

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On the upside, there is obvious nepotism: Managers may favor their romantic partners when handing out raises, bonuses or promotions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 28, 2026

Uganda comes 140th out of 180 countries on Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions Index, with widespread bribery and nepotism reported in government institutions.

From BBC • Jan. 9, 2026

Still, Rahman's career has been dogged by allegations of nepotism and mismanagement.

From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025

Still, Whitaker wasn’t hesitant to play with the trope of a rich L.A. kid benefiting from nepotism.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025

Zeitoun was convinced Ahmad was treating him a bit more roughly than the others, to compensate for any suspicions of nepotism, but he didn’t mind.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.