onset

noun

on·​set ˈȯn-ˌset 

ˈän-

1

: attack, assault

withstand the onset of the army

2

: beginning, commencement

the onset of winter

the onset of age-related diseases

Synonyms

• aggression
• assault
• attack
• attempt
• blitz
• blitzkrieg
• charge
• coup de main
• descent
• offense
• offence
• offensive
• onslaught
• raid
• rush
• strike

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 on the Web

The goal is to detect, track and treat the disease before symptoms have even been detected and thus to slow down the onset of symptoms and offer hope to those with a predisposition to the disease. —Linda Chase, Sun Sentinel, 15 July 2024

As explained from the onset, the goal of the game was to focus exclusively on the types of characters that embody the everyman (read: non-superpowered) aspect of Star Wars canon, namely Han Solo. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2024

Following a two-and-a-half-year closure after Hurricane Irma damage, Little Palm Island Resort & Spa reopened in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic. —Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024

But there was a yearslong decline before the onset of the pandemic. —José Luis Martínez, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing onset

• adult-onset diabetes
• juvenile-onset diabetes

Kids Definition

onset

noun

on·​set ˈȯn-ˌset 

ˈän-

1

: attack entry 2 sense 1

2

: beginning sense 1

Medical Definition

onset

noun

on·​set ˈȯn-ˌset, ˈän- 

: the initial existence or symptoms of a disease

the onset of scarlet fever