as in sitting on
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clamping down (on)
Verb
-
The very system itself - schooling and parenting - now operates on quelling agency.
-
The mosquitoes came out in droves at night, just before bed, quelling our ambitions of stargazing or watching for the northern lights.
Verb
-
The migrating dust can move from the African desert more than 5,000 miles westward over the Atlantic and is known for suppressing rainfall and conditions that support hurricanes.
-
At a status hearing Wednesday, an attorney for defendant Charles Green argued in favor of suppressing some of the evidence in the case.
Verb
-
Viewers have already seen glimpses of the premiere, which involves Aang and Katara subduing a sea serpent while guiding refugees across a treacherous path.
-
Officers then shot her with a Taser, subduing her enough to take her into custody, police said.
Verb
-
The production runs for 2026 and 2027 are sold out, but future flyers can jump in the queue for the 2028 build now by slapping down a deposit of US$8,000.
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.
Cite this Entry
“Clamping down (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clamping%20down%20%28on%29. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
