Jump To:

• boycott
  boycott

  verb (used with object)

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

  noun

  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

Trivia Time

Who gave their name to the word boycott?

Test Your Knowledge

boycott

American  

[boi-kot] / ˈbɔɪ kɒt /

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 British  

/ 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 British  

/ ˈbɔɪkɒt /

noun

1. 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 Cultural  

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 Word Forms

Derived Forms

• proboycott
  adjective
• antiboycott
  noun
• boycotter
  noun

Etymology

Origin of boycott

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

Explanation

To boycott means to stop buying or using the goods or services of a certain company or country as a protest; the noun boycott is the protest itself. This noun comes from the name of Charles C. Boycott, an English land agent in 19th-century Ireland who refused to reduce rents for his tenant farmers. As a result, the local residents did not want to have any dealings with him. Boycotts are an effective way to use your spending dollars to effect change.

Example Sentences

J&J Nursery, a facility owned by a state senator who helped approve the Stratos megaproject, is facing widespread calls for a boycott.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026

The consul general had been responding to a Times editorial supporting a boycott of products made with cotton produced in the Xinjiang region of China due to the use of forced labor.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

The boycott put Phillips Distilling, the family-owned maker of Sour Puss based in Minnesota, into a tight spot.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Lawmakers and members of the public have called for a boycott of the coffee chain with South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung branding the campaign as "inhumane and disgraceful".

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Remarkably effective, the boycott reduced sales between 15 and 20 percent for a total loss to the targeted businesses of around a million dollars.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

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