Definition

Verb (phrasal verb): * To take severe or forceful measures to stop, limit, or suppress an undesirable or illegal activity. It implies a sudden, strict, and often official enforcement of rules or laws that were previously not strictly controlled.

Usage

• The phrasal verb is typically followed by the preposition "on" to specify the target of the action.
• It is used to describe actions by authorities (like police, governments, or management) to impose stricter control.
• It often conveys a sense of a new, more serious, or zero-tolerance policy being implemented.

Examples

• The government announced it would crack down on tax evasion. (The government declared it would take strong measures to stop tax evasion.)
• After several accidents, the school decided to crack down on bullying. (The school decided to enforce strict new rules against bullying.)
• The city is cracking down on illegal parking in the downtown area. (The city is beginning to enforce parking laws more strictly.)

Advanced Usage

• The noun form is "crackdown" (one word), meaning the act or instance of cracking down.
  • The police crackdown on organized crime led to multiple arrests.
• It can be used in progressive tenses to emphasize an ongoing, active campaign.
  • Regulators are cracking down on misleading advertising.

Variants and Related Words

• Crackdown (n): The act of taking severe measures to stop something.
  • The security crackdown was effective but controversial.
• Clamp down (v): A very close synonym, often used interchangeably with "crack down."
  • The company clamped down on personal internet use during work hours.

Synonyms

• Suppress
• Repress
• Clamp down (on)
• Get tough (on)
• Come down hard (on)

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Crack down on: This is the standard and complete phrasal verb. The preposition "on" is integral to its meaning and usage.
  • The new manager vowed to crack down on chronic lateness.

Verb

1. repress or suppress (something regarded as undesirable)
   • The police clamped down on illegal drugs