1
as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
the walls withstood the onset of the first battalion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in beginning
the point at which something begins
the claim that if you take enough vitamin C at the onset of a cold, you'll often recover faster
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of onset
Summitt’s Tennessee Lady Volunteers never missed the NCAA Tournament during her 38 years of coaching, which ended following a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
—
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
The one-time injection of $20 million in Pullman is for the 2026-27 competition year to cover a shortfall in the Cougars’ operating budget caused, in part, by the onset of revenue sharing — an issue that did not exist in the fall of 2023 when WSU and OSU took the departing schools to court.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
White tie fell out of favor at the onset of World War I.
—Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
Gas prices across America have already surged since the onset of the conflict.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onset
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026
The one-time injection of $20 million in Pullman is for the 2026-27 competition year to cover a shortfall in the Cougars’ operating budget caused, in part, by the onset of revenue sharing — an issue that did not exist in the fall of 2023 when WSU and OSU took the departing schools to court.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
White tie fell out of favor at the onset of World War I.
—Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
Gas prices across America have already surged since the onset of the conflict.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for onset
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onset
Noun
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Riverside County Department of Animal Services officials are seeking help from the public in locating a pair of dogs that were recently involved in an attack on a wild burro, part of a series of attacks on the creatures dating back to late 2025.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
His two-run single helped Andrew go up 5-0 after the first, and his versatility is a key component of the Thunderbolts’ attack.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Without spoiling too much, Kane and Palk get to bond over their Kansas City roots in the beginning of the show.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
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The geologist Charles Lyell proposed that the very ground beneath mankind’s feet had been reshaped countless times before the beginning of human history and was even now in a state of flux.—
Kathryn Hughes,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At present, as America's military aggression and assault continue with full force, all our efforts and resources are devoted to defending Iran's very existence.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
After investigating the shooting, Boston Police detectives were able to obtain a warrant for the suspect out of Suffolk County Juvenile Court for several gun charges and armed assault to murder.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Kings came into the game stressing a good start, having been outscored 5-1 in the first period of their previous three outings, and instead face planted to spot the Maple Leafs a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Saturday’s quality start was quite a bit more delicate than his last, too.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Armenian authorities accused Russian peacekeepers who were deployed to the region of failing to stop Azerbaijan’s onslaught.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Mair and Riley Nelson continued the offensive onslaught in the second quarter as the Blue Devils took a 39-31 lead into the half.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
According to Powerball, the jackpot has been hit almost 200 times since the lottery's inception in 1992.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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Bollati’s’ family-run business has reported organic growth since its inception, save for the 2008 macro-financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Grainy security video distributed by police after the raid appeared to show three people opening a museum door with a large crowbar, after which an explosion is seen.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Perhaps the most significant victory for Walmart is its successful raid on the high-income demographic.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Grasso will be on hand for U-M's spring commencement May 2, when former Fab Five basketball star Jalen Rose will be the speaker.—
John Wisely,
Freep.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Los Angeles Philharmonic Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel will deliver the keynote address at USC’s 143rd commencement ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in May, university officials announced on Monday.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onset. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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