come down on
Scold with force
To come down on someone is to criticize, punish, or pressure them, usually with authority: The IRS came down hard on tax evaders, Her parents came down on her for staying out late.
The phrase suggests force applied from above—a person in power bearing down on someone beneath them.
- admonishReprove with counsel
- berateCriticize severely and lengthily
- chastiseReprimand severely for wrongdoing
- rip intoAttack with harsh words
- attackAggressive act against another
give hell · chide · pounce · descend upon · censure · punish · reprimand · swoop · reproach · read the riot act · let have it · criticize · condemn · lower the boom · penalize · scold · jump on · discipline
- scoldingscold, scolding, rebuke, berate, reprimand
- judgmentsjudgment call, judge, moral judgment, criticize, value judgment
- houndhound, pester, badger, harass, hassle
come down onpraise
Expression of approval
commend · applaud · encourage · compliment · laud
come down onreward
Payment for service
let off · let slide · cut some slack · let off the hook · overlook
come down onlet off the hook
down, come, coming, came, comes, downer, downed, downing, thereon