as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
the need to clamp down on petty crime in the city
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clamp down (on)
Verb
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Redick shouted out Bronny James for his efforts against Indiana after the game, lauding his defensive intensity – often being switched onto Pacers All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, and holding his own – along with a late mid-range jumper that quelled concerns of a once-improbable Indiana comeback.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026 -
That change didn’t quell the concerns of some lawmakers in both parties, who questioned the wisdom of extending the hours for liquor sales on the grounds that doing so could increase the risk of drunk driving incidents.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Although Nigeria was temporarily suspended from the Commonwealth group of nations, the oil industry continued its operations, and federal governments continued to misappropriate their share of the revenues and violently suppress protests.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
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This structural scaling suppressed unwanted charge trapping and leakage currents, ensuring the chip remains electronically stable even under intense, high-dose gamma exposure.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Police attempted multiple nonlethal methods to subdue the man, including the use of a Taser and pepper spray, before one officer fired a gun.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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Backed by his wife’s wealthy family, Coronado hoped to amass a fortune equal to that of Hernan Cortez, who had brutally subdued the Aztecs.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In one of these instances, Duggar purportedly asked the child repeatedly to sit on his lap.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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This is a very Russian thing, but all these ladies would sit on these benches in front of the building’s entrance.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Clamp down (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clamp%20down%20%28on%29. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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