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
Examples of clampdown in a Sentence
Verb
the need to clamp down on petty crime in the city
Recent Examples on the Web
Brian Nishii Tanya Pérez Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
These policies have fueled a sense of siege, as have years of security clampdowns, curfews, communication blackouts, and the detention of Kashmiri political leaders.
—Sushant Singh, Foreign Affairs, 29 Apr. 2025
Julia Chaplin, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2025
And these divisions between the generations are so apparent in this small town where the Gen Z characters really want to push for a more forward-thinking, more progressive society, whereas the older folk in town want to clamp down and keep things the same.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clampdown
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Noun
The Chinese government’s clampdown on dissenting voices abroad has grown more aggressive over the years.
—Brian Nishii Tanya Pérez Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
These policies have fueled a sense of siege, as have years of security clampdowns, curfews, communication blackouts, and the detention of Kashmiri political leaders.
—Sushant Singh, Foreign Affairs, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
The lodgings were often concrete bunker-like structures left over from Franco’s dictatorship or big package resorts built before the government clamped down on development in the 1980s.
—Julia Chaplin, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2025
And these divisions between the generations are so apparent in this small town where the Gen Z characters really want to push for a more forward-thinking, more progressive society, whereas the older folk in town want to clamp down and keep things the same.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for clampdown
Cite this Entry
“Clampdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clampdown. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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