as in suppressed
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
a repressive government that cracked down on political demonstrations
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracked down (on)
Verb
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Across the country, crackdowns suppressed immigrants' health care visits.—
Kate Wells,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026 -
When other forms of truth are suppressed, the joke must serve instead.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The filing also alleges that video shows Seitz crossed the street after the altercation had initially been quelled, and ran to confront Hernandez and Austin a second time.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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The case helped fuel a revolt across Wall Street, mostly since quelled, by junior talent tired of 120-hour weeks.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The mood was tense and subdued.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
1 Mar. 2026
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Rooms are a bit subdued, in creams and whites, though a pop of color is provided here and there.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Time and time again, courts have slapped down these strong-arm tactics that lack the force of law.—
Bob Morgan,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Jan. 2026
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And that’s the big ol’ marker general manager Adam Peters has slapped down on the table, a year-plus into his stint here.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Senate voted 47 to 53 to put down the measure.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
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When the timer goes off, put down your cleaning tools because your work is done for the day.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
3 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cracked down (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracked%20down%20%28on%29. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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