to accost

Examples

• All

• Eva began to run, but stopped as a policeman accosted Joe from the other side of the fence.

  Fiction book (1994)

• Somebody accosted her right in the parking lot.

  Endangered (2022)

• Got accosted by some autograph hunters.

  Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams (2018)

• You cannot become a squatter on your campus, and you can't accost people who are just trying to go to class.

  Megyn Kelly

• Outside, a woman with a wine can is accosted by a soldier in the open doorway.

  Academic text (2001)

• When he walked down the street, he said, in every block he was accosted by homophobic people who wanted to abuse him in some way.

  The Secret (2006)

• I found the main entrance and went inside, where I was accosted by a septuagenarian hall monitor.

  Fiction book (1997)

• Earlier that evening, he had accosted Roger and asked for $100, which hadn't been given.

  Fiction book (1991)

• I'm sorry to accost you like this... but your receptionist wasn't too helpful.

  The Brood (1979)

• When she disappeared three days later, everyone believed Carla had been accosted on the trip home to Philadelphia.

  Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

A

to approach

vsto accost

316 3.0

To speak to someone to ask for something or make an offer

is bolder and more aggressive, sometimes pushing an unwanted proposition

C

to confront

vsto accost

310 4.1

Face someone directly in an angry or challenging way to accuse them

is aggressive too but often aims to grab attention rather than accuse

A

to address

vsto accost

211 3.9

To speak to someone directly, especially to ask a question

is more forceful and less formal, sometimes involving an unwanted proposition

C

to come up to

vsto accost

184 2.2

To go up to someone to speak to them

is more forceful and intrusive when initiating contact

M

to move in on

vsto accost

• NSFW

3 7.4

To try to get involved with someone or their work in a way they do not want

is a bold or aggressive verbal approach not limited to romance

Antonyms

A

to avoid

∞ 1.0

To stay away from something or not do it to stop something bad from happening

I

to ignore

∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

How Aggressive

to assault

126 4.7

to harass

302 4.0

to accost

24 8.0

to speak to

∞ 1.7

to approach

532 2.1

Surface Forms

Etymology