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

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

But such crackdowns only amplified public frustration. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2025

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, nine years after NATO launched a bombing campaign against Serbian forces responsible for a brutal crackdown against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025

Verb

As stated, the rules committee is starting to crack down on any sort of action that would be deemed as unsportsmanlike, and that was evident in Week 1 when Eagles star Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. —James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025

Quote of the day Ferguson announced on Thursday that the federal government is suing Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, for failing to crack down on ticket resellers. —Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025

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