come down on
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: come down upon
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To punish or criticize (someone).
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The company came down on him very hard after he was found skipping work.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To attack or harass (someone).
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
Meaning · English
To pressure (someone or something); to strictly enforce something on (someone or something).
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “come down on” mean?
To punish or criticize (someone).
Is “come down on” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.