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

Fu also raised concerns about the treatment of Wang's wife, Jiang Rong, who was detained during the initial crackdown. — Mitch Picasso, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

But Salazar, who, amazingly, is also a Cuban American former news anchor, is now reckoning with her district increasingly turning on the President amid economic pressure and an immigration crackdown that is extremely unpopular among Latinos. — Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026

Verb

Officials with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services held a press conference Wednesday to announce that and other actions the agency is taking to crack down on fraud in New York’s Social Adult Day Care program. — Tara Bannow, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026

The administration has also encouraged Israel to crack down on settler violence in the West Bank and cut a longer-term deal with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. — James Laporta, CBS News, 20 Oct. 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