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

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
His immigration crackdown has also begun to backfire. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025 But the larger crackdown is potentially of more concern for creators on itch.io, which has long been considered a relatively safe haven (NSFW) for creators of adult gaming content that might not be welcome on other major platforms. Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025
Verb
Bettison said the uptick in teen violence the city has seen in recent weeks has slowed down since his department began cracking down on curfew, which also includes overtime for officers to patrol later into the night, but didn't immediately provide data. Andrea May Sahouri, Freep.com, 25 July 2025 Trump signed an executive order in January looking to crack down on DEI initiatives at American corporations. Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 23 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crackdown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crackdown. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

crack down

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

More from Merriam-Webster on crackdown

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!