1 C1 idiomatic formal
to criticize or condemn someone harshly
"Editorial writers came down upon the minister after the scandal."
inseparable
come down upon
C1 formal inseparable transitive
to criticize, attack, or punish someone severely
In plain English
to act against someone very strongly
What does "come down upon" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic formal
to punish or attack someone with force or authority
"The regime came down upon its opponents without warning."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to move downward onto a person or thing
Actually means
to act against someone very strongly
Usage tip
This is much less common than 'come down on' and sounds more formal, literary, or old-fashioned in some contexts.
Words that pair with "come down upon"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
offenders heretics critics opponents sinners wrongdoers
How to conjugate "come down upon"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
come down upon
I/you/we/they
3rd person
comes down upon
he/she/it
Past simple
came down upon
yesterday
Past participle
come down upon
have + pp
-ing form
coming down upon
continuous
Hear "come down upon" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "come down upon" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "come down upon"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.