ENGLISH
REFERENCE

boycotting

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈbɔɪˌkɑtɪŋ// UK //bˈɔɪkɒtɪŋ// boy·cotting

v. refusing to buy from or work with a person, company, or country as a way to protest. You do this to show you disagree with their actions and want them to change.

v. the present participle of 'boycott'; refers to the act of abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with an entity as an expression of protest. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the entity being avoided.


SIMPLE

They are boycotting the store because of its high prices.

CONTEXTUAL

Several environmental groups are currently boycotting the airline to protest its lack of carbon-reduction targets.

COMPLEX

By boycotting the textile manufacturer, the international coalition successfully pressured the board of directors into implementing more rigorous safety standards for their factory workers.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. As a present participle, it can function as a gerund or as part of a continuous verb tense.

Pitfall

They are boycotting against the companyThey are boycotting the companyBoycott is a transitive verb; it takes a direct object and does not require the preposition 'against'.

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