boycott

[ boi-kot ]

verb (used with object)

1. to combine in abstaining from, or preventing dealings with, as a means of intimidation or coercion:

   to boycott a store.

2. to abstain from buying or using:

   to boycott foreign products.

noun

1. the practice of boycotting.
2. an instance of boycotting.

boycott

¹

/ ˈbɔɪkɒt /

verb

1. tr to refuse to have dealings with (a person, organization, etc) or refuse to buy (a product) as a protest or means of coercion

   to boycott foreign produce

noun

1. an instance or the use of boycotting

Boycott

²

/ ˈbɔɪkɒt /

noun

1. BoycottGeoff(rey)1940MEnglishSPORT AND GAMES: cricketer Geoff ( rey ). born 1940, English cricketer: played for Yorkshire (1962–86); played in 108 test matches (1964–1982); first England batsman to score 8,000 test runs

boycott

1. The refusal to purchase the products of an individual, corporation , or nation as a way to bring social and political pressure for change.

Other Words From

• boycott·er noun
• anti·boycott noun adjective
• pro·boycott adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of boycott¹

After Charles C. Boycott (1832–97), English estate manager in Ireland, against whom nonviolent coercive tactics were used in 1880

Word History and Origins

Origin of boycott¹

C19: after Captain C. C. Boycott (1832–97), Irish land agent for the Earl of Erne, County Mayo, Ireland, who was a victim of such practices for refusing to reduce rents

Example Sentences

Unless Cuba sends them back, you might consider following the now lifted embargo with your own personal boycott.

From The Daily Beast

The Black Friday demonstrations were part of a nation wide boycott and mass action to bring awareness to Ferguson.

From The Daily Beast

Those rumors, in turn, sparked a boycott of enterprises affiliated with the family.

From The Daily Beast

The conservative Christian group mailed out nearly one million cards to supporters calling on them to boycott Disney products.

From The Daily Beast

The 1996 filing (which you can check out here) was, naturally, as silly and frivolous as the boycott push that came before it.

From The Daily Beast

There is hot talk of a boycott to be extended to everything sold or handled by the Hatch syndicate.

From Project Gutenberg

Another common word taken at first from politics, but now used in a general sense, is boycott.

From Project Gutenberg

That was a secondary boycott, which Mr. Cleveland said ought to be suppressed.

From Project Gutenberg

As soon as opposition developed the Ku Klux “freedom of the press” manifested itself in a desire to boycott the newspaper.

From Project Gutenberg

It is generally used in English as a verb of which the nearest equivalent is another curious verb—to boycott.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• avoid
• cut off
• exclude
• refuse
• reject
• snub
• spurn