crackdown

1 of 2

noun

crack·​down ˈkrak-ˌdau̇n 

: an act or instance of cracking down

crack down

2 of 2

verb

cracked down; cracking down; cracks down

intransitive verb

: to take positive regulatory or disciplinary action

Synonyms of crackdown

Verb

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

Examples of crackdown in a Sentence

Noun

Companies that pollute are the target of a new crackdown.

Verb

a repressive government that cracked down on political demonstrations

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That news came the same week that ICE agent Christian Castro, who was charged with shooting a man and lying about it during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, was released from a Texas jail. — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

While many were in Texas, Florida and other states that have enthusiastically cooperated with the crackdown, arrests increased across the country in July, even in states with laws seeking to limit ICE operations, such as New Jersey. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026

Verb

The Arab Spring of that year reached Syria, and Bashar al-Assad cracked down violently on peaceful demonstrators. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

But as the government cracked down on the demonstrations, killing thousands according to estimates by human rights groups, Moaiery told me the people’s hope had disappeared. — Jim Sciutto, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1935, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1939, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for crackdown

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

Kids Definition

crack down

verb

ˈkrak-ˈdau̇n

: to take strong action especially to control or put down

crack down on crime

crackdown

-ˌdau̇n

noun