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
International oil standard Brent, meanwhile, is down 22% in June, on pace for its biggest monthly decline since March 2020, at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
—
Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
28 June 2026
Experts said the second earthquake began before the first had even ended, with the two onsets separated by just 39 seconds.
—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
Not every person who carries the mutation will develop the disease, and the age of onset can vary, but family history is considered an important factor when estimating risk.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
When Farrow got early-onset Alzheimer’s, Hauch was her primary caregiver for six years.
—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for onset
Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
28 June 2026
Experts said the second earthquake began before the first had even ended, with the two onsets separated by just 39 seconds.
—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
Not every person who carries the mutation will develop the disease, and the age of onset can vary, but family history is considered an important factor when estimating risk.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
25 June 2026
When Farrow got early-onset Alzheimer’s, Hauch was her primary caregiver for six years.
—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for onset
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onset
Noun
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The British Army also provided protection from attacks by Native American tribes, giving many settlers little reason to support a rebellion.
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Twice in recent days, the United States has launched retaliatory strikes on Iran following drone attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Noun
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Prior to the trial beginning, the judge agreed that questions about Brown’s felony conviction for his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna would be barred from testimony.
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June was a frenetic month for the metro Atlanta restaurant scene, driven in part by a flurry of downtown openings timed to the beginning of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Noun
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Indeed, the administration’s assault on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act intensifies the damage.
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Williams had an extraditable warrant out of Suffolk County, New York, on multiple charges including burglary, strangulation and assault.
Noun
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In the longest start of his career, Mize threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of 22 batters and struck out five of his final six.
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In his 17th start of the year, Imanaga recorded his first outing without surrendering a walk or home run.
Noun
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In Texas, ranchers are bracing for an onslaught of screwworms, the flesh-eating maggots of blowflies.
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Torres lamented that the nation’s landmark semiquincentennial comes amid a fever pitch of anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States, marked by a rise in xenophobia and an onslaught of attempts to restrict newcomers here and abroad.
Noun
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Successful deployment demands robust governance from inception, ensuring traceability and mitigating risks.
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Since its inception, competitors have struggled not only to string together all those corners but to maintain speed all the way to the 14,115-foot (4,302 m) summit.
Noun
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The June 19 raid of the EZ-8 Motel focused on three rooms that were allegedly rented out by operators of a prostitution ring.
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Netanyahu noted that his brother Yoni was killed in the raid.
Noun
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The institutions that would be wise to pay attention are not just the ones whose CEOs walk into hostile commencement halls.
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At Middle Tennessee State University, Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta was booed while talking about AI at the commencement ceremony for the school's college of media and entertainment, which is named after him, reported the Nashville Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Cite this Entry
“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onset. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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