Boycott
/ˈbɔɪkɒt/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo refuse to buy, use, or participate in (something) as a form of protest.
/ˈbɔɪkɒt/
To abstain from using or buying something as a protest.
Many people boycotted the company's products after the scandal.
💡 Simply: To avoid something to show you disagree.
More Examples
The workers decided to boycott the factory until their demands were met.
How It's Used
"The students boycotted classes to protest the new tuition fees."
"Consumers boycotted the company's products after allegations of unethical labor practices."
An act of jointly abstaining from dealing with a person, nation, or organization.
/ˈbɔɪkɒt/
An act of boycotting.
The boycott of the product was largely successful.
💡 Simply: A group refusing to use something as a protest.
More Examples
The company faced a significant decline in sales due to the boycott.
How It's Used
"The workers' boycott of the factory lasted for several weeks."
"The consumer boycott put pressure on the company to change its policies."
Named after Charles Boycott, a 19th-century land agent in Ireland who was ostracized by his tenants. The practice of social and economic isolation, then called 'boycotting,' quickly gained popularity and entered the English language.
The word's usage gained significant traction during labor movements and political protests in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Memory tip
Think of 'boy' refusing to 'cot' (cottage industry) in protest.