as in sitting on
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
a repressive government that cracked down on political demonstrations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cracking down (on)
Verb
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Trump and Republicans last year aggressively ramped up policies favorable to fossil fuels after romping to an electoral victory in 2024 on a promise to lower the cost of living, including by quelling gas prices.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026 -
Cipriani’s suit alleges Shell was desperate for help in quelling negative stories about him.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kamphoff advises that parents model productive behavior to show kids how to manage their negative emotions, rather than suppressing them.—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
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The deportations to Eswatini, a tiny kingdom bordering South Africa, where the king has full power and has been accused of suppressing pro-democracy movements, have sparked protests from civic groups there.—
Nokukhanya Musi,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Multiple officers were involved in subduing Guity and placing him in handcuffs, police said.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
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As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 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
“Cracking down (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracking%20down%20%28on%29. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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