CLAMPDOWN Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

clamp down

verb

Definition of clamp down

as in to rein (in)

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Example Sentences

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 In January 2025, the president polled particularly well with his promise to clamp down on undocumented immigration. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 24 June 2026 Now that China is clamping down on nitazenes, orphines are on the rise. — Jonathan Moens — Bellingcat, STAT, 18 June 2026 The fish will inhale the lure and clamp down hard. — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026 There's no advocacy organization for young people who might engage in street protests but get clamped down on. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for clamp down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for clamp down

Verb

Cubans are planning their lives around the lights turning back on.

— Andrea Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
At times, they were seen swerving around other drivers and driving at speeds up to 95 miles per hour in the northbound lanes before getting onto the westbound I-10, exiting near downtown and then turning back toward Boyle Heights on surface streets.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of turn back

Verb

That said, the show’s decision to hold back on this reveal also makes narrative sense.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 11 Aug. 2026
Severe drought in 2022 on Lake Mead, which is held back by the Hoover Dam, exposed human remains and forced water officials in Las Vegas to pump water from deeper within the reservoir to continue to supply water to millions of people.

— Ty O'Neil, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of hold back

Verb

In May 2019, San Jose police retrieved the suspects’ phones from the arresting agencies and found photos taken inside a San Jose hotel two days before Tran’s killing.

— Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Keyan Rundell, 17, of DeLand, was arrested Wednesday in the July 28 killing of Dustin Rose, 19, and Samson Campbell, 18.

— Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of arrest

Verb

In place of painting on roses and covering them with chrome, consider stamping gold stickers on the center of each nail for professional-looking DIY nail art in minutes.

— Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026
In celebrating the players who are not afraid to take risks, and taking time to nurture the rough diamonds at the club, the tour is the first step in De Zerbi stamping his footprint on a club that had lost its way in recent years.

— Elias Burke, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of stamp

Verb

Susan Sarandon and Martin Scorsese try and fail to squash the beef between their children in the latest social media sketch from Jack Henry Robbins and Francesca Scorsese, Variety can exclusively reveal.

— Jack Dunn, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
The results on Wednesday did nothing to squash the enthusiasm of bullish analysts and investors.

— MacKenzie Sigalos,Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 23 July 2026

Definition of squash

Verb

Some studies show that saffron may potentially help suppress appetite and aid in weight loss, reduce the symptoms of PMS and improve libido.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
And the nastiest errors of all, the bit-flips, are suppressed to around one in a million operations.

— John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of suppress

Browse Nearby Words

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 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of clamp down

verb

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