accost

verb

ac·​cost ə-ˈkȯst 

-ˈkäst

accosted; accosting; accosts

transitive verb

: to approach and speak to (someone) in an often challenging or aggressive way

He was accosted by a stranger on the street.

Examples of accost in a Sentence

He was accosted by three gang members on the subway.

She was so famous that people would accost her on the street and ask for an autograph.

Recent Examples on the Web

At the end of episode 6, Lois is accosted by a masked man wielding a knife. —Nick Romano, EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024

In a scene at the end of the first episode, Noah finishes giving a sermon and is accosted by mothers and aunts introducing their single daughters and nieces to the handsome, single rabbi. —Liza Esquibias, People.com, 1 Oct. 2024

Just try to scroll through TikTok without being accosted (lovingly) by girlies walking to grab their morning coffees (or the real Scandi girls biking through their cities) while sporting bold color combinations and unexpected outfits. —Angela Law, refinery29.com, 2 Apr. 2024

Behind them, the woman Curtis was accused of accosting at the mall relaxed into her husband’s embrace. —Gina Barton, USA TODAY, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French accoster, going back to Old French, "to go alongside of, sail along the coast of, place (a vessel) beside another" (sʼacoster a "to take a place beside, draw near, support"), probably going back to Vulgar Latin *accostāre, from Latin ad- ad- + costa "rib, side" — more at coast entry 1

Note: A common, polysemous verb in Anglo-French, though the English verb, which only begins to appear in the late 16th century, is apparently borrowed directly from Continental French. The sense "to approach and speak to" only appears in French in the early 17th century, about the same time that it appears in English.

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

accost

verb

ac·​cost ə-ˈkȯst 

-ˈkäst

: to approach and speak to often in a challenging or aggressive way