To take firm action to stop or punish illegal or undesirable activity.
To start punishing or stopping bad behaviour more strongly.
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
To take strict, forceful measures to stop illegal or unacceptable behaviour.
"The government announced it would crack down on tax evasion with new legislation."
We will crack down on the gangs and the guns.
— Tony Blair, Labour Party Conference speech, 1995
To come down hard (crack down) — the force of a crack suggesting sudden, firm impact.
To start punishing or stopping bad behaviour more strongly.
Very common in news and political language. Usually followed by 'on'. The noun 'crackdown' is also extremely common. Can refer to governments, police, schools, or any authority.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "crack down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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