boycott

verb

boy·cott | \ˈbȯi-ˌkät

boycotted; boycotting; boycotts

Definition of boycott

: to engage in a concerted refusal to have dealings with (a person, a store, an organization, etc.) usually to express disapproval or to force acceptance of certain conditions boycotting American products

Other Words from boycott Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about boycott

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Did You Know?

In the 1870s, Irish farmers faced an agricultural crisis that threatened to result in a repeat of the terrible famine and mass evictions of the 1840s. Anticipating financial ruin, they formed a Land League to campaign against the rent increases and evictions landlords were imposing as a result of the crisis. Retired British army captain Charles Boycott had the misfortune to be acting as an agent for an absentee landlord at the time, and when he tried to evict tenant farmers for refusing to pay their rent, he was ostracized by the League and community. His laborers and servants quit, and his crops began to rot. Boycott's fate was soon well known, and his name became a byword for that particular protest strategy.

Examples of boycott in a Sentence

plans to boycott American products They boycotted the city's bus system. We boycotted companies that were polluting the environment.

Recent Examples on the Web

However, the attempts to boycott Israel have continued in Spain in recent weeks. — Jewish Journal, "Spanish high court rules anti-Israel boycott is unconstitutional," 3 July 2018 This week, Hogg called on Ingraham’s advertisers to boycott her show once again in a series of tweets. — Natasha Bach, Fortune, "Why Fox News's Laura Ingraham Is Facing an Advertiser Boycott—Again," 22 June 2018 Any effort to boycott Israel is an affront to this longstanding relationship. — Julia O'donoghue, NOLA.com, "John Bel Edwards says Louisiana won't do business with companies that boycott Israel," 22 May 2018 However, Maduro has jailed his most potent rivals and driven Venezuela’s main opposition to boycott the vote. — Philip Brian Tabuas, Bloomberg.com, "Venezuela Votes in a Presidential Election. Enthusiasm Is Absent," 19 May 2018 Leaders of the nation's beleaguered opposition called to boycott the vote in protest after key leaders were barred from running. — Fox News, "AP Explains: What's at stake in Venezuelan presidential vote," 17 May 2018 Most opposition parties then decided to boycott the vote. — The Economist, "As Venezuelans go hungry, their government holds a farcical election," 17 May 2018 With the outcome of the election a foregone conclusion, authorities went to great lengths to boost turnout, using their vast resources to get voters out and threatening on the third and final day of the election to fine anyone boycotting the vote. — Hamza Hendawi, chicagotribune.com, "Egypt's president wins re-election with 97 percent of vote," 2 Apr. 2018 Critics described the vote as a charade, and opposition activist Navalny has been urging his supporters to boycott the vote ever since he was barred from the ballot in December. — Anton Troianovski, BostonGlobe.com, "Putin claims victory in Russia’s presidential election," 18 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'boycott.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

22 Oct 2018

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The first known use of boycott was in 1880

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More Definitions for boycott

boycott

verb

English Language Learners Definition of boycott

: to refuse to buy, use, or participate in (something) as a way of protesting : to stop using the goods or services of (a company, country, etc.) until changes are made

See the full definition for boycott in the English Language Learners Dictionary

boycott

verb

boy·cott | \ˈbȯi-ˌkät

boycotted; boycotting

Kids Definition of boycott

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to join with others in refusing to deal with someone (as a person, organization, or country) as a way of protesting or forcing changes

boycott

noun

Kids Definition of boycott (Entry 2 of 2)

: the process or an instance of joining with others in refusing to deal with someone (as a person, organization, or country) as a way of protesting or forcing changes

boycott

transitive verb

boy·cott | \ˈbȯi-ˌkät

Legal Definition of boycott

: to engage in a concerted refusal to have dealings with (as a store, business, or organization) usually to express disapproval or to force acceptance of certain conditions — see also primary boycott, secondary boycott

Note: A boycott of a business by its competitors, suppliers, or buyers that has the effect of preventing the business's access to the market is a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.