SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
accost
verb
To approach and address someone boldly or intrusively.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Approach intrusively
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topButtonhole suggests detaining someone in conversation; ordinary address lacks the intrusive implication.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See accost in use
A persistent stranger tried to accost every visitor at the gate.
The guest asked a friend not to accost everyone near the coat rack by abruptly demanding explanations for their movements.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license