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Synonyms

crack down

British  

verb

  1. to take severe measures (against); become stricter (with)

"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

noun

  1. severe or repressive measures

"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
crack down Idioms  

  1. Act more forcefully to regulate, repress, or restrain. For example, The police cracked down on speeding. [1930s]

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.

And again, like I said, you hear her crack down and you hear her vulnerable, and nobody stepped through that door.

From Los Angeles Times

Atkins has promised that the SEC will crack down External link on proxy advisor firms, who he believes are riddled with conflicts of interest.

From Barron's

She added: "We are providing record funding for security at synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres. I will go further to strengthen police powers so they can crack down on intimidating protests."

From BBC

The FDA said it would crack down on promotional materials.

From MarketWatch

The FDA said it would crack down on promotional materials.

From MarketWatch

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.