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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clamping down (on)
Verb
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Owens, who tried to reach third, was gunned down by left fielder Brendan Brock, quelling the early threat.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026 -
Centered on Zhong Kui, the iconic demon-quelling deity of Chinese folklore, the family-friendly adventure follows a young human girl named Chujiu who accidentally enters the underworld.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The older upper-room technology has been around since the 1930s and was effective at suppressing even measles transmission in classrooms.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Dec. 2025
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But President Patrice Talon has faced accusations of suppressing criticism.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Officers then shot her with a Taser, subduing her enough to take her into custody, police said.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
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Trump thought the Secret Service did an excellent job subduing the gunman but the White House is reviewing security for major events for the country's 250th anniversary.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Clamping down (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clamping%20down%20%28on%29. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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