CLAMP DOWN Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

clamp down

verb

Definition of clamp down

as in to rein (in)

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of clamp down The deceased sloths, which were largely brought from the wild in Guyana and Peru, still prompted public outrage and an effort from Orange County commissioners to clamp down on exotic animal imports locally. — Rylan Digiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026 While the new enforcement powers relate to the AI Act, the Commission has taken steps to clamp down on AI in the past. — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026 Kronosaurus could clamp down on its prey with a bite estimated at 3,370—6,070 pounds of force, meaning even a large animal like an ichthyosaur rarely stood a chance against the apex predator. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 July 2026 Secretary of State Marco Rubio has for months been working to seal an agreement between the Israeli and Lebanese governments to clamp down on Hezbollah and allow Israel to withdraw its forces from Southern Lebanon. — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for clamp down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clamp down

Verb

Phetchaburi Road, one of the capital’s busiest, was unusually quiet as vehicles were turned back by high water.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
There’s political polarization and marginalization and the sort of people who want to turn back the clock and have that line of thinking that Ted Kaczynski had.

— Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of turn back

Verb

There were no signs the driver braked in the moments before the collision, video footage of the incident shows.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
The driver struck Sabini with the right front corner of the Honda, braked and came to rest in the westbound lane.

— Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of brake

Verb

The designers and brands succeeding right now appear to be those who understand how to honor history and invigorate the brand, without being held back or weighed down by legacy.

— Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
But executives have otherwise offered few details, holding back until Wednesday's event.

— Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of hold back

Verb

An 18-year-old woman was bound and raped by a man inside his Queens apartment more than a year ago, and a suspect has now been arrested, police and law enforcement sources said Friday.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 26 Sep. 2026
The driver, identified as 54-year-old Robert Delorenzo of Stratford, was arrested and charged with reckless driving, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and failure to stop on the right side of the road.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of arrest

Verb

That car became a rally staple, training a generation of drivers, including the French legend Jean Ragnotti, and stamping its double white stripe into motorsport folklore.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2026
As tales of touring and recording with Diddy in other episodes fail to lead to a query about what the Bad Boy founder has been up to since 2024, the doc feels time-stamped and a few considerably eventful years old for the people who come up.

— Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of stamp

Verb

But the Avengers woke up in the second half, scoring 41 points to win 48-27 and squash the Royals’ upset hopes.

— Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
The atrocities committed in Chile were similar to those in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Central America, where leftist movements and guerrillas were squashed with incredible brutality.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of squash

Verb

The system is designed to amplify speech while using machine learning to suppress background noise.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
When the skin’s community of protective bacteria was suppressed with antibiotics, the frogs became more likely to develop signs of disease.

— Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of suppress

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clamp

clamp down

clamp down (on)

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“Clamp down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clamp%20down. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of clamp down

verb

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