as in confronts
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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Recent Examples of Synonyms for accosts
Verb
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Freedom of assembly and association has deteriorated, while independent civil society confronts shrinking space to operate.—
Tharo Khun, Sourcing Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
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On a remote island in the Chesapeake Bay, a deeply rooted Christian fishing community confronts the erosion of land and tradition, as their centuries-old way of life, anchored in faith, approaches a turning point.—
Verb
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In one clip shared by ABC7's Abigail Velez, a trio of agents approaches a group of people protesting outside of the Santa Ana federal building.—
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Jake follows her to a diner, then approaches her inside.—
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“Accosts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accosts. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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