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 mayfly party started almost at the minute the onset of night activated the lights. — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026 The onset of his dementia arrives slowly but surely (as these things tend to do), and Leigh is too sly a filmmaker to milk it. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 And, in children with childhood-onset schizophrenia, clozapine. — Nitin Gogtay, STAT, 4 Sep. 2026 Several studies have also found that vaccination is associated with a lower risk of dementia and may even slow the onset of cognitive impairment. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for onset

Recent Examples of Synonyms for onset

Noun

Brent crude oil prices paused in early trading on Tuesday after gaining in the previous session following a drone attack on an oil pipeline pumping station in Russia that reduced flows from Kazakhstan.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Wrexham have looked at signing strikers to add new dimensions to their attack.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of attack

Noun

Steele’s only two league appearances over the past two seasons came at the beginning of Hurzeler’s reign in 2024-25, when Verbruggen was injured.

— Andy Naylor, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Finally, here’s one more restaurant to put on your list, this one at the beginning of its journey.

— Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of beginning

Noun

The driver of the pickup truck, 21-year-old Jesse David Lovato, has since been arrested and is facing charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault, according to the outlets.

— Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2026
The assault was a result of a confrontation with another group of fairgoers.

— Frankie McLister, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of assault

Noun

The selection committee has included at least one representative for each team/market since the Hall’s inception in 1963, with an increasing number of at-large selectors more recently.

— Mike Sando, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
McKenna took over the role in 2025 from Charles Mesure, who played the former World Security Bureau boss and intelligence operative since the character's 2023 inception.

— Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of inception

Noun

During last year’s raids on homes owned by Kadgien and her sister in Mar del Plata, Argentine police also seized two 19th-century paintings, along with other prints and engravings.

— Sergio Farella, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
The deal comes eight months after Washington ousted former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a military raid and co-opted the remaining regime led by interim President Delcy Rodríguez.

— Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of raid

Browse Nearby Words

onrushes

onset

onsets

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onset. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of onset

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

empirical

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes