: to approach and speak to (someone) in an often challenging or aggressive way He was accosted by a stranger on the street.

: to approach and speak to (someone) in an often challenging or aggressive way He was accosted by a stranger on the street.

: to approach and speak to (someone) in an often challenging or aggressive way He was accosted by a stranger on the street.

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'accost.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback .

And the fact that its only next-door neighbor is the headquarters of the Capitol Police gives a feeling of extra security in an era where protesters have accosted diners in restaurants around town.

David Willman, 48, of Chesterfield Township was charged with one count each of accosting a child for immoral purposes and using a computer to commit a crime, the Macomb County Sheriff's Office said.

After protesters showed up at Dr. Amy Acton’s house and one accosted a Columbus television reporter, Gov. Mike DeWine spoke out Monday during his daily briefing.

Jane talks about what the protestors were angry about, and why a reporter outside the statehouse got accosted last week.

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

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.

History and Etymology for accost

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.