clamp down on — suppress expression
to limit or suppress the expression of opinions, ideas, or dissent, especially in a way that restricts freedom or open debate.
Say it like a native
Textbook The regime moved to suppress the expression of dissenting opinion.
Native The government's clamping down on free speech.
'Suppress the expression of dissenting opinion' is academic; 'clamp down on' is the natural verb.
Pattern: clamp down on + [abstract noun/uncountable] (e.g. dissent, criticism, free speech)
In use
- The government was widely criticized for clamping down on independent journalism.politics
- Some argue that clamping down on online criticism undermines democratic values and stifles healthy debate.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ They clamped down to journalists.
✓ They clamped down on journalists.
'Clamp down ON [people / expression]'.
Common collocations
clamp down on— dissent, free speech, the press, protest
Don't confuse it
Unlike the B2 sense, which focuses on strict action against illegal or bad behavior, this C2 sense refers to suppressing expression, ideas, or dissent, often with a negative evaluation of the restriction.
Related
- clamp down on (take strict action against) — 'clamp down on' also has the more basic meaning 'take strict action against'; this is the advanced sense.