accost

verb

ac·​cost ə-ˈkȯst How to pronounce accost (audio)
-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 Behar said she was forced to verbally accost a locomotive employee because the woman wouldn't let Behar, who had a coach-class ticket, use an exclusive bathroom aboard the craft. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 18 Dec. 2023 Monkeys, music, modern art, marble: stepping into the high-ceilinged entrance hall of Cordelia de Castellane’s Paris apartment, one is accosted by all four. Ellie Pithers, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2024 According to eyewitness accounts, the fan attempted to accost a fireman helping with the stretcher and ended up taking a swings at CIF Division I Tournament Director Dave Beamon and San Marcos Tournament Director Don Williams. Richard J. Marcus, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2024 The same man who shot Gill then went to a different part of town – another busy neighborhood with luxury apartments and up-scale businesses – and accosted a driver, police said. Gabe Cohen, CNN, 5 Feb. 2024 Fake Southern Accents There's nothing worse than turning on your favorite chick flick only to be accosted with a bad Southern accent. Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2024 Looking to confront an elusive Mercy, Margaret mistakenly accosts an innocent server in front of a judgmental audience of onlookers before fleeing the party with her friend and neighbor Hilary (Blue). Hunter Ingram, Variety, 27 Jan. 2024 When Allison and Melissa are out walking one night, trying to get away from the general discord, they’re accosted by a frightening mystery figure in a Guy Fawkes-like mask and old-fashioned judicial wig. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 20 Jan. 2024 Drivers for top teams like Red Bull and Mercedes are accosted by media and fans. David Hill, Rolling Stone, 14 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accost.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of accost was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near accost

Cite this Entry

“Accost.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accost. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

accost

verb
ac·​cost ə-ˈkȯst How to pronounce accost (audio)
-ˈkäst
: to approach and speak to often in a challenging or aggressive way

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