clamp·down
ˈklamp-ˌdau̇n 
: the act or action of making regulations and restrictions more stringent
… a violent clampdown on suspected Communists …—
Marie Arana
Marie Arana
clamped down; clamping down; clamps down
: to impose restrictions : crack down
the police are clamping down on speeders
Examples of clampdown in a Sentence
Verb
the need to clamp down on petty crime in the city
Recent Examples on the Web
Hamid Kashani, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
Thousands of demonstrators were killed during recent anti-government protests in Iran after a heavy clampdown by the Iranian regime.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Jan. 2026
Load your drawer, slide it in, and the machine can automatically clamp down and run its cycle.
—New Atlas, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clampdown
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Noun
Amid the ongoing militarized clampdown and a de facto nighttime curfew imposed in major cities, large-scale mass protests are no longer taking place.
—Hamid Kashani, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
Thousands of demonstrators were killed during recent anti-government protests in Iran after a heavy clampdown by the Iranian regime.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
Texas needs to clamp down on the veteran guard.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Jan. 2026
Load your drawer, slide it in, and the machine can automatically clamp down and run its cycle.
—New Atlas, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clampdown
Cite this Entry
“Clampdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clampdown. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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