ONSET Synonyms: 123 Similar and Opposite Words

onset

noun

ˈȯn-ˌset

Definition of onset

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

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of onset The incubation period, the time between exposure to the virus and symptom onset, can last weeks to months. — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026 In forums on Reddit, women share tales of having perimenopause and menopause symptoms misdiagnosed or dismissed as mental health disorders, early-onset dementia, or autoimmune issues, resulting in months or years of unnecessary testing. — Yulin Hswen, STAT, 27 Aug. 2026 Reddington also faulted the American psychiatric community’s diagnostic system for using a four-week cutoff to classify a disorder as having peripartum onset. — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026 Temperatures have warmed dramatically across the equatorial Pacific Ocean in 2026, signaling the onset of a strong and potentially historic El Niño. — Julia Cole, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for onset

Recent Examples of Synonyms for onset

Noun

The country's armed forces said that it was targeted by a missile attack that originated from Iranian territory.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Mamdani applauded police for stopping the attack but said an internal investigation would be conducted.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of attack

Noun

The question that matters most A famous name should be the beginning of the conversation, not the end of it.

— Jason St. Angelo, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
The new findings indicate that last year’s increases were a momentary surge, rather than the beginning of a positive trend.

— Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of beginning

Noun

To stay in the chase, the Twins desperately need collective performances such as Sunday’s when Zebby Matthews provided a dominant start and the lineup pieced together enough offense to avoid a sweep at the hands of Chicago.

— Dan Hayes, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
In 2024, when Malik Nabers’ first-round selection changed the depth chart, Slayton memorably caught only 10 total passes for 122 yards in the Giants’ first four games during a 1-3 start.

— Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of start

Noun

The elimination of those limits could fuel a bigger onslaught of election ads if broadcasters are forced to offer their lowest ad rates to parties and committees.

— Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
Life was an onslaught of bright lights, loud noises, intolerable textures and tastes.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of onslaught

Noun

After each meeting, a colleague would ask if there had been any progress citing the days, months and finally years since the committee’s inception.

— Barry M. Bloom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
The Milford Public Library serves both village and township residents and maintains special collections on autism, genealogy and the Civil War, as well as microfilmed editions of the Milford Times dating to the newspaper’s inception.

— Brendel Clark, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of inception

Noun

Last month, burglars stole millions of dollars worth of jewelry from the museum of French luxury glassmaker Lalique in a daring early morning raid.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
According to witnesses of the raid, local police and Canyon County sheriff’s deputies assisted ICE agents by zip-tying children and detaining people without asking about their immigration status.

— Rachel Spacek, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of raid

Noun

With the acclaim came the awards, the invitations to give commencement speeches, the honorary degrees, the chance to perform before thousands of fans at big-time sports events.

— Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026
In a 1991 commencement speech at Georgia Tech, Brian Dyson told students to imagine life as a game of juggling five balls — work, family, health, friends and spirit.

— Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of commencement

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onrushes

onset

onsets

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Style

“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onset. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of onset

noun

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