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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.

See Examples For:

He vowed to crack down on "price-gouging", saying regulators have the the power to "clamp down on it if it happens".

From BBC Aug. 1, 2026

The changes are intended to clamp down on the skyrocketing cost of college, with student loan debt now at around $1.7 trillion.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 1, 2026

Starting in 2018, successive governments in Malaysia threatened to clamp down on Lynas over environmental concerns.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 18, 2026

But the spontaneity that charmed tourists and supported street vendors in Vietnam's capital has subsided in recent months as authorities clamp down on illegal use of footpaths.

From Barron's Jun. 2, 2026

Reaching over Caesar’s head, I clamp down on his left shoulder and on his right arm.

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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