as in to confront
to approach and speak to (someone) often in an angry, aggressive, or unwanted way
He was accosted by peddlers selling touristy trinkets on the street. She was so famous that people would accost her on the street and ask for an autograph.
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Recent Examples of accost
In the cold and austere German winter (a far cry from Dakar’s physical and cultural warmth), an anxious Nourou acts up outside a hotel and is accosted by a Polish security guard, setting off a minor chain reaction in which Maja intervenes on his behalf, much to his chagrin.
—
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Maybe the white-haired woman in the Phillies hoodie has done something more egregious than being outhustled for a home run ball in the stands at LoanDepot Park in Miami, and then accosting the dad who retrieved it and gave it to his son for the kid's birthday.
—Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2025
When her mother leaves the room for a moment, she's accosted by a demonic entity that toys with her through funhouse-style reflections, creating this evil doppelganger of Judy.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
After the creatures show up, we’re left running (stark naked) through the labyrinthine walls of Hell, as main protagonist Aiden, before being accosted by a deranged cult back in the real world.
—Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accost
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Maybe the white-haired woman in the Phillies hoodie has done something more egregious than being outhustled for a home run ball in the stands at LoanDepot Park in Miami, and then accosting the dad who retrieved it and gave it to his son for the kid's birthday.
—Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2025
When her mother leaves the room for a moment, she's accosted by a demonic entity that toys with her through funhouse-style reflections, creating this evil doppelganger of Judy.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
After the creatures show up, we’re left running (stark naked) through the labyrinthine walls of Hell, as main protagonist Aiden, before being accosted by a deranged cult back in the real world.
—Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accost
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accost
Verb
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For four weeks, Haddish travels with her longtime best friends Selena Martin, Shermona Long, and Sparkle Clark to have a good time, of course, but to also do some bonding, confront some truths, and do some healing.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
24 Oct. 2025
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Why would any politician in his or her right mind wish to confront an informed citizenry capable of breaking down the campaign speeches into their subsets of supporting lies?—
Henry Freedland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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So one day last winter, as a new MLS season began, Higginbotham’s wife, Nicole, approached him with an idea.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Upcoming comets to view This celestial calendar includes significant comets that will approach Earth through the rest of 2025 and into early 2026 and can be seen with binoculars or a telescope.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Following the spiritual moment, the King and Queen encountered a group of schoolchildren from the local primary school, Scuola Primaria San Paolo - Istituto Figlie di Cristo, who were waiting to greet them outside the Papal Basilica.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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These clogs are technically designed as recovery shoes for long-distance runners—Kaufman first encountered them in a running store in Madison, Wisconsin.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Accost.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accost. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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