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

One of the high-profile cases to emerge from last year’s immigration crackdown was the fatal shooting of Silverio Villegas González, a father of two shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent during a traffic stop last September in Franklin Park. —Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026

Lai, a prominent critic of Beijing, founded a pro-democracy newspaper that was shut down during a crackdown following the city's massive anti-government protests in 2019. —ABC News, 9 May 2026

Verb

Recently, however, the Kremlin has cracked down on any lawyers taking up these cases, culminating in the exile and arrests of Russia’s most capable and courageous lawyers. —Irwin Cotler, Time, 8 May 2026

Others, advocating for improved food policies, have praised him for taking steps to remove artificial food dyes and crack down on ultraprocessed foods. —Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 8 May 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