onset

noun on·set \ ˈȯn-ˌset , ˈän- \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: onset in a Sentence

Definition of onset

1 : attack, assault

withstand the onset of the army

2 : beginning, commencement

the onset of winter

the onset of age-related diseases

See onset defined for English-language learners

See onset defined for kids

Examples of onset in a Sentence

the walls withstood the onset of the first battalion
the claim that if you take enough vitamin C at the onset of a cold, you'll often recover faster

Recent Examples of onset from the Web

But now, for perhaps the first time ever, songs conceived as bilingual from the onset are flooding the market.

— leila cobo, Billboard, "Why the Music Business Is Betting Big on Bilingual Tracks," 5 June 2018
On Tuesday, Marriotts Ridge completed its third straight shutout to reach the 2A South region title game, thumping Glenelg, 10-0, in a game that wasn’t close from the onset.

— kyle mcfadden, Howard County Times, "Marriotts Ridge baseball shuts out Glenelg, advances to 2A South region final," 16 May 2018
The electoral environment was rough for Kucinich from the onset of returns.

— seth a. richardson, cleveland.com, "Richard Cordray wins the Ohio Democratic governor's primary," 8 May 2018
Hallman won first prize for his long-form feature story about a composer suffering from early onset Alzheimer's disease.

— the oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, "Oregonian/OregonLive newsroom captures 5 'Best of the West' awards," 28 Apr. 2018
The receipt of counterfeit money is a problem not uncommon at retail stores, where clerks often use a special pen on paper money to identify fakes from the onset.

— jim riccioli, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Craigslist seller felt helpless when she was handed phony $100 bill for TV in Waukesha," 3 Apr. 2018
So, making a good match from the onset is critical.

— michelle sandlin, Houston Chronicle, "On the Move - Relocation Spotlight: Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty," 24 Mar. 2018
Witherspoon said local officials brought up these issues with Tyson leaders from the onset of discussions.

— jamie mcgee, USA TODAY, "Tyson chicken plant rejected in one town, welcomed in another," 24 Mar. 2018
But from the onset of the season, Batum and Howard didn’t always gel on the court.

— brendan marks, charlotteobserver, "Hornets’ playoff hopes hinged on starters trusting each other. Now? ‘We’ve finally got it’ | Charlotte Observer," 27 Feb. 2018

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