clamp·down
ˈklamp-ˌdau̇n 
: the act or action of making regulations and restrictions more stringent
a clampdown on charge accounts, bank loans, and other inflationary influences—
Time
Time
clamped down; clamping down; clamps down
: to impose restrictions : crack down
the police are clamping down on speeders
Synonyms
Examples of clampdown in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebSheelah Kolhatkar, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Only patients who were in their third trimesters when the clampdown occurred could still have their babies at Oasis.
—Bracey Harris, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2023
But rights groups say that the freeing of some high-profile political prisoners has distracted from a broader clampdown on speech and political activity, already heavily restricted in Egypt.
—Missy Ryan, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2023
Beijing’s clampdown has had the opposite effect, however, with the companies Ma founded reportedly losing $850 billion to the regulatory crackdown.
—Bychloe Taylor, Fortune, 12 July 2023
Clawing back losses The Disney+ price hikes and a clampdown on password sharing may be necessary to fill a near half-a-billion-dollar hole in the company’s finances.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2023
Xi Jinping led a parade of officials this spring vowing to revive China’s economy, hoping to repair the damage wrought by years of Covid Zero and regulatory clampdowns.
—Jeanny Yu, Bloomberg.com, 13 Apr. 2023
Expect Netflix, which now boasts 238 million global subscribers, to keep benefiting from this password sharing clampdown.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 19 July 2023
Belarus had been kicked out the previous year over its government’s clampdown on dissent.
—Jill Lawless, Fortune, 12 May 2023
Andrew Krok, Car and Driver, 7 Sep. 2023
Alabama clamped down on both the Blue Raiders’ ground and passing game.
—Matt Stahl | Mstahl@al.com, al, 2 Sep. 2023
And banks and other lenders have been clamping down on credit for months, a process that accelerated after the spring banking crisis sent shock waves through the industry.
—Jaclyn Peiser, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2023
Growing increasingly concerned that a bubble was forming, the Communist Party has for several years tried to clamp down on overinvestment.
—Meaghan Tobin, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023
Rome, home to some of the world’s most popular tourist sites, has been in a battle to clamp down on obnoxious visitors.
—Andrew Jeong, Anchorage Daily News, 28 June 2023
In Indonesia there has been a clamp down on new oil palm plantations, which have been a major driver of deforestation in the country, while Malaysia has also strengthened palm oil regulations.
—Caolán Magee, CNN, 27 June 2023
Authorities have also clamped down on outbound data flows, and raided due diligence and expert networks firms, sometimes on national security grounds.
—Bynicholas Gordon, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin is clamping down on freedoms and deepening divisions within his own country, as the Wagner paramilitary company’s rebellion clearly demonstrated.
—Jens Stoltenberg, Foreign Affairs, 10 July 2023
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Noun
Although the case was much discussed within the tech industry and in the press, the Justice Department’s clampdown on anticompetitive behavior did not become the norm.
—Sheelah Kolhatkar, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Only patients who were in their third trimesters when the clampdown occurred could still have their babies at Oasis.
—Bracey Harris, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2023
But rights groups say that the freeing of some high-profile political prisoners has distracted from a broader clampdown on speech and political activity, already heavily restricted in Egypt.
—Missy Ryan, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2023
Beijing’s clampdown has had the opposite effect, however, with the companies Ma founded reportedly losing $850 billion to the regulatory crackdown.
—Bychloe Taylor, Fortune, 12 July 2023
Clawing back losses The Disney+ price hikes and a clampdown on password sharing may be necessary to fill a near half-a-billion-dollar hole in the company’s finances.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2023
Xi Jinping led a parade of officials this spring vowing to revive China’s economy, hoping to repair the damage wrought by years of Covid Zero and regulatory clampdowns.
—Jeanny Yu, Bloomberg.com, 13 Apr. 2023
Expect Netflix, which now boasts 238 million global subscribers, to keep benefiting from this password sharing clampdown.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 19 July 2023
Belarus had been kicked out the previous year over its government’s clampdown on dissent.
—Jill Lawless, Fortune, 12 May 2023
Verb
In the opposite direction, our EcoBoost Performance Pack's brakes clamped down from 70 mph in 149 feet, barely edging past the 2020 model's 153-foot stop.
—Andrew Krok, Car and Driver, 7 Sep. 2023
Alabama clamped down on both the Blue Raiders’ ground and passing game.
—Matt Stahl | Mstahl@al.com, al, 2 Sep. 2023
And banks and other lenders have been clamping down on credit for months, a process that accelerated after the spring banking crisis sent shock waves through the industry.
—Jaclyn Peiser, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2023
Growing increasingly concerned that a bubble was forming, the Communist Party has for several years tried to clamp down on overinvestment.
—Meaghan Tobin, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2023
Rome, home to some of the world’s most popular tourist sites, has been in a battle to clamp down on obnoxious visitors.
—Andrew Jeong, Anchorage Daily News, 28 June 2023
In Indonesia there has been a clamp down on new oil palm plantations, which have been a major driver of deforestation in the country, while Malaysia has also strengthened palm oil regulations.
—Caolán Magee, CNN, 27 June 2023
Authorities have also clamped down on outbound data flows, and raided due diligence and expert networks firms, sometimes on national security grounds.
—Bynicholas Gordon, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin is clamping down on freedoms and deepening divisions within his own country, as the Wagner paramilitary company’s rebellion clearly demonstrated.
—Jens Stoltenberg, Foreign Affairs, 10 July 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clampdown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Clampdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clampdown. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
clamp down
verb
: to act in a strict and forceful manner to stop something
police are clamping down on drunk driving
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