as in approaching
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 accosting
The trailer features minimal dialogue, and Farrell, 49, is seen running through the streets and accosting casino employees at one point.
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Jack Smart, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Jack Smart, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accosting
Verb
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Storms approaching the region start to reach cooler waters that aren't warm enough to fuel a hurricane and tradewinds in the region can topple a storm's cloud structure.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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With the five-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords approaching, what was once billed as the start of broader Israeli integration into the Arab world is instead marked by a hardening of positions.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Evidence showed Lachlan feared alienating core Fox viewers — which is to say pro-Trump voters — by confronting them too directly with the facts that President Joe Biden squarely won the election.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
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George Clooney plays the titular protagonist, a famous movie actor who embarks on a journey of self-discovery confronting both his past and present, accompanied by his devoted manager Ron (Adam Sandler).—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Accosting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accosting. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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