boycott

verb

boy·​cott ˈbȯi-ˌkät How to pronounce boycott (audio)
boycotted; boycotting; boycotts

transitive verb

: 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
boycott noun
boycotter noun

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. When retired British army captain Charles Boycott, acting as an agent for an absentee landlord, 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 the crops in his care began to rot. Boycott’s fate was soon well known, and his name became a byword for that particular protest strategy, both as a verb and as a noun. Across the Atlantic three-quarters of a century later, boycotts such as the Montgomery bus boycott were pivotal components of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

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 Are people still boycotting Starbucks? Social media rumors about Starbucks's stance on the war started shortly after the coffee chain sued the union following a post shared on a Workers United social media account in support of Palestinian rights. Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 But according to Israeli media, the government boycotted the talks on Sunday after Hamas rejected demand for a complete list of living hostages. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2024 Nestle also experienced a hit to sales in majority-Muslim countries where some shoppers boycotted multinationals operating in Israel. Dasha Afanasieva, Fortune Europe, 22 Feb. 2024 Bud Light continues to hemorrhage customers after a rough 2023, when the brand’s notable promotion with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney during March Madness caused many conservatives to boycott the brand. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2024 Several nominees boycotted the first Grammy ceremony with a rap category in 1989 because the award wasn’t televised. Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2024 Why are people boycotting Pizza Hut?What to know about the latest controversy How much is the Double Big Mac? Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 In solidarity, Sam’s teammates boycott the sponsor alongside him on the field, covering up the company logo on their jerseys. Melissa Jun Rowley, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2024 Many Democrats are increasingly anxious that young voters who supported Biden in 2020 will boycott the general election in 2024, support a third-party candidate or vote for Trump. Chandler James, The Conversation, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boycott.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of boycott was in 1880

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Dictionary Entries Near boycott

Cite this Entry

“Boycott.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boycott. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

boycott

1 of 2 verb
boy·​cott
ˈbȯi-ˌkät
: to join with others in refusing to deal with a person, organization, or country usually to express disapproval or to force acceptance of terms

boycott

2 of 2 noun
: the process or an instance of boycotting
Etymology

named for Charles Boycott 1832–1897 estate manager in Ireland

Word Origin
In the autumn of 1880 there was much unrest in the Irish countryside as the result of a depression. Many farmers who did not own the land they worked were unable to pay their rent. A Land League was formed to fight eviction of tenants, and the first victim of their campaign was one Charles S. Boycott, a retired English army captain who worked as an agent for an absentee landlord in County Mayo. When this landlord's tenants refused to pay their rents unless they received a reduction, Boycott attempted to serve eviction notices. As a result, he was shunned by the community, his laborers and servants quit, and the crops on his own farm began to rot. Fifty volunteers from northern Ireland were sent to Mayo to harvest his crops, guarded by hundreds of troops and police. The new tactic of shunning a person to assert a grievance needed a name, and Boycott's name was at hand. Though the British government banned the Irish Land League, the word boycott is still part of English.

Legal Definition

boycott

transitive verb
boy·​cott ˈbȯi-ˌkät How to pronounce boycott (audio)
: 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.

boycott noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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