accost

verb

Definition of accostnext
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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Example Sentences

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 accost Prosecutors presented the state’s case over six days, laying out for the judge how the former plastic surgeon accosted Steven Cozzi in the bathroom of his law office on a Tuesday morning, and Cozzi was never seen again. — Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026 In that dialogue, Endymion, the mythical shepherd, is imprisoned in an eternal sleep by Artemis and accosts a stranger who is on his way to Mount Latmus, where Endymion repairs each night to wait for Artemis. — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 At half-time of the mostly engrossing, controversial Manchester derby on Sunday, Marc Guehi was accosted by a Sky Sports reporter and asked a few questions. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for accost
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accost
  1. confront
  2. approach
  3. encounter
Verb
  • It’s been covered breathlessly on Instagram and by celebrity media — led by the former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush, who last Monday on his podcast described being confronted by Griffin at a wedding on the Hawaiian island of Lanai.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The country is deeply polarized, increasingly castigated by the rest of the world, and confronting a resurgence of antisemitism.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of confront
Verb
  • The result offers researchers a different way to approach quantum material design.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • With Election Day approaching, California voters are facing a crowded ballot and competing claims about what the state's propositions would do.
    — James Taylor, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of approach
Verb
  • Working with other artists offers opportunities to exchange creative ideas, develop different sounds, and reach listeners who may not have previously encountered an artist’s music.
    — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
  • At least four flight attendants were injured when a United flight heading to Los Angeles encountered turbulence during descent on Wednesday night.
    — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of encounter

Browse Nearby Words

accords
accost
accosted
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Cite this Entry

“Accost.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accost. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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