as in confronts
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 Synonyms for accosts
Verb
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If the former is about the inevitability of falling in love, a complete surrender beyond the speaker’s control, the latter confronts the pain of romantic love’s aftermath.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026 -
Here, sister Norma heads a historic peasant organization in southern Mexico that confronts violence and impunity.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The California governor’s race remains characterized by chaos and low voter engagement despite significant scandals and drama, with widespread indecision affecting both parties as election day approaches less than 50 days away.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
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In ominous voiceover, Sam feels her bile rising as Hathaway’s Mary approaches after a decade-long estrangement.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
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“Accosts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accosts. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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