Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

clamp down on

Idioms  

  1. Also, put the clamps on. Become stricter or more repressive; put a stop to. For example, The company was clamping down on expenses like business lunches, or It's time we put the clamps on polluters. [Mid-1900s]

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.

A combination of enhanced security at ports, a clamp down on other illegal routes, and the development of organised gangs have reportedly helped contribute to the rise in small boat crossings.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

They also warn the rules could be misused to target critics and clamp down on dissent.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

But the city-state is fighting back, including through tough laws that can compel tech giants to clamp down on fraud -- with scam cases and losses down last year for the first time since 2021.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

And the current deal also comes with notable concessions that clamp down on some of Live Nation’s most risible business practices.

From Slate • Mar. 10, 2026

Matt felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder and pull him out of the line.

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer

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.