accosted

past tense of accost
as in approached
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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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of accosted Osama, donning his bulletproof blue press jacket and armed with his camera, is accosted by a woman wailing that 200 of her neighbors are gone. Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026 According to a police affidavit, Sanchez accosted Perry Tole after the Indiana resident had backed his truck into the loading docks of a downtown Indianapolis hotel. Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 In 1982, walking through a terminal at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, the Kissingers were accosted by Ellen Kaplan, a follower of Lyndon LaRouche, a cult leader with both Marxist and right-wing associations. Robert D. McFadden, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026 Two of the men were accosted at a local restaurant, and they’ve also been refused service in town, Cox said. Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 Sometimes that was impossible, such as when he was accosted in a car park by Jose Mourinho and at the airport by Roma fans after the 2023 Europa League final, but not for lack of trying. Graham Scott, New York Times, 23 July 2026 In that incident, the victim was accosted by two men who demanded valuables. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 31 May 2026 In previous years, the 31-year-old originally from Chicago might have lashed back when accosted on the ice. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026 At one point during the dizzying saga, the actor is accosted by two fans at a grocery store who drastically overshare about how much his work means to them. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accosted
Verb
  • Later in the inning, an irate Marmol approached Eddings and was tossed.
    Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The roommate approached the Lyft car as the driver frantically tried to drive away, according to the lawsuit.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • While the inquiry reached no conclusion on whether the Russini-Vrabel relationship was romantic, Semel noted that Russini, after Page Six confronted her about the photos in April, waited two days before telling her editors and managers.
    Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As new waves of feminists confronted different issues, some became exasperated by Steinem’s seemingly perennial role as the face of the women’s movement.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Accosted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accosted. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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