# come down on

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/come-down-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to punish or criticize someone very strongly.

For teachers: to reprimand or penalize a person or group with significant severity; often used in contexts of authority or law enforcement.

## Examples

- The boss will come down on you if you are late again.
- The government has promised to come down on companies that do not pay their fair share of taxes.
- Regulatory bodies are expected to come down on the financial sector following the discovery of widespread accounting irregularities.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The teacher came down her students." but "The teacher came down on her students." — the preposition 'on' is essential to connect the action to the person being punished.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by 'hard' or 'heavily' to add emphasis to the severity of the punishment.
- Teaching tip: this is a three-part phrasal verb; help students visualize the 'down' as a heavy weight or pressure falling from an authority figure onto a subordinate.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.