clampdown

1 of 2

noun

clamp·​down ˈklamp-ˌdau̇n 

: the act or action of making regulations and restrictions more stringent

… a violent clampdown on suspected Communists …

—Marie Arana

clamp down

2 of 2

verb

clamped down; clamping down; clamps down

intransitive verb

: to impose restrictions : crack down

the police are clamping down on speeders

Synonyms of clampdown

Verb

• quell
• suppress
• crack down (on)
• subdue
• sit on

Examples of clampdown in a Sentence

Verb

the need to clamp down on petty crime in the city

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Detroit then went to Orlando and extended its hopes yet again — crawling out of a 24-point hole through a historic clampdown. —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 5 May 2026

China’s new clampdown on drone sales and even the storage of drone components within the capital of Beijing stands out in a country that effectively built the global market for affordable commercial drones. —Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 30 Apr. 2026

Verb

Jewish citizens, however, faced persecution both before and after the war, as Soviet authorities clamped down on Jewish life in the form of arrests, arson, or other violent antisemitic incidents, which continued into the 1960s. —Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026

The Golden Knights’ defense clamped down until Olen Zellweger tied the game with three minutes remaining in regulation. —Eric Stephens, New York Times, 13 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1940, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1938, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for clampdown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

clamp down

verb

: to act in a strict and forceful manner to stop something

laws clamping down on fraud