crackdown

1 of 2

noun

crack·​down ˈkrak-ˌdau̇n How to pronounce crackdown (audio)
: an act or instance of cracking down

crack down

2 of 2

verb

cracked down; cracking down; cracks down

intransitive verb

: to take positive regulatory or disciplinary action

Synonyms of crackdown

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Verb

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Examples of crackdown in a Sentence

Noun Companies that pollute are the target of a new crackdown. Verb a repressive government that cracked down on political demonstrations
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
Israel launched the crackdown following Friday’s attack, carrying out arrests and building demolitions in Hebron, the site of the attack. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 Memories are fresh of the nationwide protests sparked by economic pressures that led to a deadly crackdown weeks before the war. — Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Verb
By then, a hundred and ninety students had already been injured as police cracked down on individual blockades at schools. — Maurice Samuels, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026 But his focus has expanded to cracking down on underperforming cadres too. — Kanis Leung, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crackdown

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1935, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of crackdown was in 1935

Rhymes for crackdown

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Browse Nearby Words

crackbrained
crackdown
crack down
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Cite this Entry

“Crackdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crackdown. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

crack down

verb
ˈkrak-ˈdau̇n
: to take strong action especially to control or put down
crack down on crime
crackdown
-ˌdau̇n
noun
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