as in to rein (in)
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Recent Examples of clamp down
The Nuggets don’t need to clamp down like the Oklahoma City Thunder or Detroit Pistons to challenge in the West.
—
Fred Katz, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
OpenAI, Anthropic and Alphabet’s Google are working together to clamp down on Chinese competitors extracting results from US artificial intelligence models to gain an edge in the global AI race.
—Marcus Wright, Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026
The Spartans had to clamp down defensively over the final three minutes just to trail 35-27 at halftime.
—CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Last year, both the House and Senate passed legislation intended to clamp down on low-performing nursing programs, saying Florida had too many that leave students ill-prepared to work in the high-demand field.
—Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clamp down
Fred Katz, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
OpenAI, Anthropic and Alphabet’s Google are working together to clamp down on Chinese competitors extracting results from US artificial intelligence models to gain an edge in the global AI race.
—Marcus Wright, Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026
The Spartans had to clamp down defensively over the final three minutes just to trail 35-27 at halftime.
—CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Last year, both the House and Senate passed legislation intended to clamp down on low-performing nursing programs, saying Florida had too many that leave students ill-prepared to work in the high-demand field.
—Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clamp down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clamp down
Verb
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In midst of the 1996-1997 race and battling hurricane-force winds and waves reaching six stories high, Goss decided to turn back into the storm to save fellow competitor Raphaël Dinelli, whose boat had capsized thousands of miles from land.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
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On April 21, shortly after passing Sri Lanka, the tanker made an abrupt course change — first a sharp 90-degree turn to the south, then another sharp 90-degree turn back east.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Today's industrial stocks include a company that makes braking systems for trains out of Wilmerding, Pennsylvania as well as a trucking manufacturer in Bellevue, Washington.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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Reigniting its engines for two braking burns, the booster settled onto the ship for a smoky but on-target touchdown less than 10 minutes after liftoff.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Cranes also were used to remove gates that hold back water.—
Sarah Brumfield,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Elite soccer clubs have the biggest global reach in sports, but the lack of cost controls and threat of relegation have held back valuation gains.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Those guys are checking like dogs and working really hard, both ends of the rink.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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The park warns that bear activity is especially high from May to August and advises visitors to check for closures.—
Devarrick Turner,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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TigerTiger’s profile is soon revealed to have been created by Clark, presumably for the purpose of catfishing Floyd; when detectives find security-camera footage of Clark pedalling away from the scene of the crime in his distinctive recumbent bicycle, he is arrested and charged with the murder.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At another point, pressure mounts to stamp one’s feet in protest at injustice and police misconduct.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Two floors below ground, behind heavy double doors stamped with a logo that most students have never noticed, sits one of the most powerful lasers in the United States.—
Ahmed Helal,
The Conversation,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Alas, their beef is too big to squash.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
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Did something get squashed en route, then manhandled by Kennedy?—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Earlier, Britain suppressed a communist insurgency in Malaya, today part of Malaysia.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
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The lawyer noted the statement could be suppressed in court if it was obtained through leading questions, a prolonged interrogation, or coercive tactics.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clamp down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clamp%20down. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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