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

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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 In 2019, 60% of American consumers would make a decision about whether to buy or boycott a company’s product based on its stand on societal issues, according to a survey by public-relations firm Edelman—up from 47% in 2017. — Zusha Elinson, WSJ, "Black Rifle Coffee Seeks Like-Minded Aficionados," 12 Mar. 2021 This was largely seen as a concession by Nelson Mandela, who became president in 1994, and the A.N.C. after the king had threatened to boycott the election. — Lynsey Chutel, New York Times, "Goodwill Zwelithini ka Bhekuzulu, King of the Zulu Nation, Dies at 72," 12 Mar. 2021 Black members of the U.S. track team — arguably one of the fastest teams ever assembled — threatened to boycott the Olympic Games to protest the racist treatment of Black people in America. — Analis Bailey, USA TODAY, "Tommie Smith, John Carlos did the Black Power salute at the Olympics on this day in 1968," 16 Oct. 2020 Meanwhile, activists who have organized protests in Louisville since Taylor's death are calling for the Kentucky Derby to be canceled and for Harbut to boycott the race. — Alaa Elassar, CNN, "Activists want an African American horse owner to boycott the Kentucky Derby. Here's why he won't do it," 5 Sep. 2020 Several Republican lawmakers have pressured the Biden administration to either boycott the games in Beijing or lobby the IOC to move them elsewhere. — Paul Best, Fox News, "World Uyghur Congress pressures International Olympic Committee to move 2022 Olympics out of Beijing," 5 Mar. 2021 Some people might boycott a particular entertainer. ... — Alia E. Dastagir, USA TODAY, "Woody Allen is being tried in the court of public opinion but cancel culture has its flaws," 25 Feb. 2021 The regulator also inserted a poison pill: If a negotiation fails, the tech company cannot boycott that publisher’s content. — Robert Whitehead, Time, "How Australia May Have Just Saved Journalism From Big Tech," 22 Feb. 2021 Hill and Ransby have also endorsed the movement to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel, known as BDS. — Ben Sales, sun-sentinel.com, "‘I don’t hate you’: Rashida Tlaib defends her relationship with Jews on a panel on anti-Semitism," 16 Dec. 2020

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

5 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Boycott.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boycott. Accessed 10 Apr. 2021.

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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.

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