boycott
BOY-kot
/ˈbɔɪ.kɑːt/
To refuse systematically to buy, use, or deal with an entity as a protest or punishment.
Uses economic or social refusal as a nonviolent tactical lever to force institutional policy change.
The story behind the word. Coined in Ireland in 1880 after Captain Charles C. Boycott, an English land agent. When he refused to lower rents, local tenant farmers socially ostracized him—refusing to harvest his fields, serve him in shops, or deliver his mail.
Word relationships
- embargo: An embargo is an official government restriction on trade, while a boycott is organized by citizens or consumers.
- patronize: Patronize means to give ongoing customer business and support to a shop or organization.
Commonly confused with
- sanction: Sanctions are legal penalties applied by governments; boycotts are voluntary refusals organized socially.
Word family
- boycotter (noun): A person who participates in a boycott.
Collocations
- economic boycott
- call for a boycott
- consumer boycott
- boycott campaign
Idioms & expressions
- vote with your wallet
Example sentences
- "The Montgomery bus boycott lasted over a year and led to a landmark federal ruling against segregation." Civil rights movement
- "Consumers organized a boycott against the retail chain until fair worker wages were guaranteed." Consumer action
Memory hook
BOYCOTT: Named after Captain Boycott, whom everyone refused to trade with. Refusing to trade as protest.
When not to use
Do not use when simply choosing not to buy a product due to personal preference or price.
Fun facts
- Captain Boycott's life became so miserable that the British military had to send 50 soldiers just to protect the workers harvesting his crops.
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