# crack down

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/crack-down
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to start being much stricter about a rule or law to stop people from doing something wrong.

For teachers: To initiate or intensify the enforcement of laws, regulations, or rules. It frequently takes a prepositional complement headed by 'on' to specify the target of the enforcement.

## Examples

- The police are starting to crack down on speeding drivers.
- After several complaints about noise, the city council decided to crack down on late-night parties in residential areas.
- The government announced a new initiative to crack down on offshore tax havens and improve fiscal transparency across the banking sector.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The police will crack down the illegal parking." but "The police will crack down on illegal parking." — The phrasal verb requires the preposition 'on' when followed by an object.

## Usage notes

- This verb is often followed by the preposition 'on' before the target of the strictness.
- Teaching tip: Explain that the noun form 'crackdown' is written as one word and often appears in news headlines.

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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.