crack down

verb

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

noun

1. severe or repressive measures

Idioms and Phrases

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

Example Sentences

The move to fire Alter is part of a larger campaign from administrators in Texas’ university system to crack down on speech that the right deems offensive.

From Salon

Brighton say they are using new technologies to try and crack down on the reselling of tickets for vastly inflated prices by unauthorised websites.

From BBC

Mr Duterte said he cracked down on drug dealers to rid the country of street crimes.

From BBC

Sir Keir said his government had struck several migrant returns deals with other countries, including France, and had been taking action to crack down on people-smuggling gangs.

From BBC

Ironically, in the wake of his assassination, there has been a tsunami of calls to honor Kirk by cracking down on “hate speech.”

From Salon

Related Words

• confine 
• constrain 
• control 
• curb 
• curtail 
• detain 
• deter 
• govern 
• hamper 
• hinder 
• inhibit 
• keep down 
• kill 
• limit 
• prevent 
• repress 
• restrict 
• subdue 
• suppress