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boycott

/ˈbɔɪkɑt/
/ˈbɔɪkɒt/
IPA guide

Other forms: boycotted; boycotting; boycotts

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.

Definitions of boycott
  1. noun
    a group's refusal to have commercial dealings with some organization in protest against its policies
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    type of:
    dissent, objection, protest
    the act of protesting; a public (often organized) manifestation of dissent
  2. verb
    refuse to sponsor; refuse to do business with
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    antonyms:
    patronize
    do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of
    patronise
    do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of
    type of:
    ostracise, ostracize
    avoid speaking to or dealing with
Pronunciation
US
/ˈbɔɪkɑt/
UK
/ˈbɔɪkɒt/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘boycott'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of gold-punch.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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