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

Keep scrolling for more

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

Victims rights groups also protested the campaign and threatened to boycott Benetton products. — Ceylan Yeginsu, New York Times, "Benetton ‘Migrants’ Ads Draw Outrage for Using Photos of Real Migrants," 21 June 2018 The women of this particular team are especially heroic, having threatened to boycott the World Championships over unequal pay and treatment last year. — Elizabeth Logan, Teen Vogue, "The U.S. Women's Hockey Team Won Olympic Gold for the First Time Since 1998," 22 Feb. 2018 The opposition would also boycott the vote if Mr Ortega nominates his wife, Ms Murillo, to run in his stead. — The Economist, "Time is running out for Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega," 9 June 2018 The streaming service responded by boycotting Cannes altogether, not even showing movies out of competition. — New York Times, "Does It Matter if You See a Film in a Theater or at Home?," 8 May 2018 Black residents were boycotting the city buses, a protest sparked nine months before when Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat. — Matthew Haag, New York Times, "An Alabama Sit-In in 1960, an Apology and the Lifetimes Between," 30 May 2018 At least 11 Democratic lawmakers are boycotting the event, which is far fewer than the 60 who refused to show up for Trump’s inauguration. — Margaret Hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "What to Expect From Trump’s 2018 State of the Union Address," 30 Jan. 2018 Two additional Illinois lawmakers will be boycotting Trump’s speech today, including Reps. — Maya Rhodan, Time, "All the Democrats Boycotting President Trump's State of the Union Address Tonight," 30 Jan. 2018 Congresswoman, some of your colleagues, like Pramila Jayapal and Maxine Waters, are boycotting the State of the Union. — Rebecca Nelson, Cosmopolitan, "Rep. Brenda Lawrence On Honoring Recy Taylor With Red Pins at the State of the Union," 29 Jan. 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.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about boycott

Listen to Our Podcast about boycott

Dictionary Entries near boycott

Statistics for boycott

Last Updated

12 Feb 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for boycott

The first known use of boycott was in 1880

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

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.