boycott

verb boy·cott \ ˈbȯi-ˌkät \

Updated on: 24 Apr 2018

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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boycott

noun

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boycotter

noun

See boycott defined for English-language learners

See boycott defined for kids

boycott was our Word of the Day on 01/07/2008. Hear the podcast!

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 of boycott from the Web

Much of the international donor community has boycotted Hamas, branded as a terrorist group.

— josef federman and dan perry, Fox News, "AP Analysis: Gaza flare-up driven by deep misery in strip," 20 Apr. 2018
So nominees Salt-N-Pepa, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, LL Cool J and Kool Moe Dee boycotted the show.

— jeneé osterheldt, kansascity, "Damn if Kendrick Lamar didn't win a Pulitzer Prize for 'DAMN.' | The Kansas City Star," 16 Apr. 2018
Ingraham did not directly address the advertiser boycott her show is facing.

— jeremy barr, The Hollywood Reporter, "Laura Ingraham Makes No Apologies In First Show Back From Break," 10 Apr. 2018
India boycotted China's flagship summit in Beijing last May on its Belt and Road Initiative, an ambitious global trade plan.

— sugam pokharel, CNN, "Dalai Lama caught in the middle as India and China reboot ties," 30 Mar. 2018
Putin boycotted the debates, which dissolved into shouting and pushing among the other candidates.

— henry meyer, Bloomberg.com, "Russians Vote on New Putin Term as Tensions Flare With West," 17 Mar. 2018
Instead, the outspoken Putin critic has asked his supporters to boycott the vote and instead watch for irregularities that have blighted past polls.

— yuliya talmazan, NBC News, "Russian election: Navalny rallies army of observers to counter Putin," 16 Mar. 2018
Ukrainian two time Women’s World Champion Anna Muzychuk has boycotted the tournament.

— lindsay ellis, Houston Chronicle, "Last year, her brother's steer was champion. This year, she and Rudy will enter the spotlight.," 13 Mar. 2018
So Mo’Nique went public, asked fans to boycott the streaming platform and posted the details of Netflix’s offer on Instagram.

— nina metz, chicagotribune.com, "Hollywood, black actresses and the squishy metrics of who gets paid what," 8 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.

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.

Origin and Etymology of boycott

Charles C. Boycott †1897 English land agent in Ireland who was ostracized for refusing to reduce rents

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1880

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Other Economics Terms

actuary, compound interest, globalization, indemnity, portfolio, rentier, stagflation, usurer

BOYCOTT Defined for English Language Learners

boycott

verb

Definition of boycott for English Language Learners

: 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

BOYCOTT Defined for Kids

boycott

verb boy·cott \ ˈbȯi-ˌkät \

Definition of boycott for Students

boycotted; boycotting

: 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

Definition of boycott for Students

: 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

Law Dictionary

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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