Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

crackdown

/ˈkɹækdaʊn/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.35 in modern English

Syllables: crack-down
IPA: /ˈkɹækdaʊn/

21

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Abruptly stern measures or disciplinary action; increased enforcement.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"After a harsh police crackdown last week fueled anger and swelled protests, President Dilma Rousseff, a former guerrilla who was imprisoned under the dictatorship and has now become the target of pointed criticism herself, tried to appease dissenters by embracing their cause on Tuesday."
"In the last two years crackdowns on various sectors of the economy, as well as prominent Chinese businessmen, have caused uncertainty. These have recently widened to include foreign nationals and firms, heightening worries in the international business community."

Etymology

Deverbal from crack down.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈkɹækdaʊn/

Usage

Inflected Forms

crackdowns (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

clampdown

Questions

How do you pronounce crackdown?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkɹækdaʊn/.
What does crackdown mean?: Abruptly stern measures or disciplinary action; increased enforcement.
Where does crackdown come from?: Deverbal from crack down.

How to pronounce crackdown

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “crackdown”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkɹækdaʊn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “crackdown”.
Repeat and practice — Say “crackdown” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.