accosted

[uh-kaw-stid, uh-kos-tid] / əˈkɔ stɪd, əˈkɒs tɪd /

VERB

approach for conversation or solicitation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

annoy buttonhole confront

STRONG

address bother brace call challenge cross dare entice face flag greet hail proposition salute welcome

WEAK

run into whistle for

Antonyms

STRONG

aid help ignore refrain slight turn away

WEAK

avoid dodge evade scorn shun

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On Tuesday, the 63-year-old doctor of engineering was accosted as she walked through Mexico City.

From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025

The McCanns, the court heard, then came across the defendants face-to-face when Ms Wandelt and Mrs Spragg turned up outside their home on 7 December 2024 and "accosted" them.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2025

A few weeks prior, a surfer was reportedly accosted by a “feral, almost demonic” sea lion that he said dragged him off his board in Oxnard and stalked him in the water.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2025

“I was accosted by Sacramento Police Department officers, falsely accused of driving under the influence, and involuntarily detained for several hours at the hospital,” Cervantes said in her statement.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2025

Charlie also accosted a man who analyzed the subprime mortgage bond market for Wachovia Bank, who happened to have been on the panel moderated by the shocking John Devaney.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis