What does "boycott" mean?
The act of boycotting.
Boycott
/ˈbɔɪkɒt/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of boycotting.
- Grammar: boycott is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: embargo, avoid, ban, banish.
- Useful contrasts: public endorsement, acquiesce, buy.
- Usage evidence: He organized a boycott of the bus service.
How to use "boycott"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "boycott" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
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- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "boycott" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "boycott" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of boycotting.
"[W]hat has been the actual effects of the [UFW grape] boycott? As far as one can judge, it has cut down on the grape sales in a few big city outlets. But going into its second year, the boycott is losing steam. The middle class doesn't care."
- 2 a group's refusal to have commercial dealings with some organization in protest against its policies wordnet
Verb
- 1 To abstain, either as an individual or a group, from using, buying, or dealing with someone or some organization as an expression of protest. transitive
"There is probably not a citizen in the United States who wears a hat that has not heard of John Stetson, and does not know that the Stetson hat is one of if not the best made. For some cause the Knights [of Labor] have boycotted the Stetson hats, and have notified all dealers that if they sell them they also will be boycotted."
- 2 refuse to sponsor; refuse to do business with wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A hamlet in Stowe parish, Buckinghamshire, England (OS grid ref SP6636).
- 2 A surname.
Antonyms
Example
"He organized a boycott of the bus service."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "boycott"?
Common synonyms include: embargo, avoid, ban, banish, banishment, bar.
How do you use "boycott" in a sentence?
He organized a boycott of the bus service.
How do you pronounce "boycott"?
Pronounced /ˈbɔɪkɒt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Etymology tree English Charles Boycott English boycott From Charles Boycott, an English evicting land agent in Ireland who was subject to a boycott organized by the Irish Land League in 1880. For the surname see Boycott.
Etymology 2
From Middle English Boicote, probably from Old English Bōia cot (“Bōia's cottage”). The first element was a common Germanic name of obscure meaning, with parallels in Old Norse and Franconian dialects. Some proposed connections include bugan (“bent”), buan (“live”), or the root of modern bully.