as in suppresses
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 cracks down (on)
Verb
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Light naturally suppresses melatonin, a sleep hormone, and activates your internal clock.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026 -
Cut screens at least one hour before bed Blue light from phones, tablets, and televisions suppresses melatonin production and keeps the brain in an alert state.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While the presumption was always that Messi would renew with the Herons, the news quells any lingering anxiety.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Twenty years later, an adult Guinevere is building her ghostwriting career when her estranged artist brother announces an installation titled Mother, which quells disturbing revelations in Guinevere.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Royd subdues and binds her before taking off to restore the power.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
13 Nov. 2025
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For those who are more into curves than angles, the Bialetti Moon takes all the functional elements of the moka stovetop espresso maker and subdues them with a rounded stainless steel silhouette.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The portrait of a woman who represses and conceals a rape struck a chord as the #MeToo movement took off and put Trobisch on the map.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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Trying to eliminate one side inevitably represses part of our own nature.—
Richard P. Weigand,
Rolling Stone,
30 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Cracks down (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cracks%20down%20%28on%29. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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