clampdown

1 of 2

noun

clamp·​down ˈklamp-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce clampdown (audio)
: the act or action of making regulations and restrictions more stringent
a clampdown on charge accounts, bank loans, and other inflationary influencesTime

clamp down

2 of 2

verb

clamped down; clamping down; clamps down

intransitive verb

: to impose restrictions : crack down
the police are clamping down on speeders

Examples of clampdown in a Sentence

Verb the need to clamp down on petty crime in the city
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Fair or not, the hopes of a sudden clampdown in New York will be pinned to the 7-footer returning from ankle surgery. Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025 The situation is far from normal at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, current and former CDC officials tell NPR, even as a clampdown on external communications is starting to ease. Will Stone, NPR, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
Yet, as Attanasio continues to clamp down on spending, his team’s margin for error keeps shrinking. Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025 That's about six weeks of clamping down on tourism. The Miami Herald, arkansasonline.com, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clampdown

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1940, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clampdown was in 1938

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clampdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clampdown. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

clamp down

verb
: to act in a strict and forceful manner to stop something
laws clamping down on fraud

More from Merriam-Webster on clampdown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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