crack down

British  

verb

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

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noun

1. severe or repressive measures

crack down Idioms  

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

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Example Sentences

Chinese authorities have tried to counter the competitive learning culture by cracking down on cram schools in recent years -- but tutoring, paid under the table, remains in demand.

From Barron's

The police department first used one of the drones to crack down on illegal fireworks in 2024 in response to repeated complaints from residents.

From The Wall Street Journal

Further, he said, Europe “needs to crack down on a member state level and there needs to be a pan-EU authority that actually goes after several cases.”

From The Wall Street Journal

In 2021, the Railroad Commission of Texas, the agency that oversees the oil-and-gas industry in the state, began cracking down on deep disposal.

From The Wall Street Journal

Police have been cracking down on the use of prohibited symbols amid a recent rise in antisemitism and right-wing extremism.

From BBC

Related Words

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