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, 25 Feb. 2025 The former rally driver has alienated many F1 drivers with clampdowns on jewelry and, most recently, swearing, as well as a refusal to explain what happens to the money the FIA collects as fines. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
Other large companies in the Portland area — like Nike and Intel — have also clamped down on remote work. Emily Peck, Axios, 18 Feb. 2025 Public criticism of government officials and their policies has since become rarer in Algeria, which has increasingly clamped down on activism and the country's once-muscular trade unions. arkansasonline.com, 13 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 Entries

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Cite this Entry

“Clampdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clampdown. Accessed 1 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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