ONSET Synonyms: 123 Similar and Opposite Words

onset

noun

ˈȯn-ˌset

Definition of onset next

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 law must be strengthened further to ensure that, in the future, gross negligence, reckless storage of remains and even improper co-mingling of remains can be criminally charged from the onset, and carry real sentences with the potential for actual jail time. —

Vaughan Bagley, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2026 What the data show—and what everyone has seen with our own eyes—is what we social scientists call a psychogenic epidemic, a phenomenon that causes tremendous suffering but has no organic cause, meaning the onset is social or psychological, not biological. —

CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026 The concern is based not just on the number on the thermometer but also on the sudden onset of the heat. —

Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2026 Some over-the-counter supplements may help reduce the risk of early-onset colorectal cancer, Verma said. —

Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for onset

Recent Examples of Synonyms for onset

Noun

Ukraine has launched drone attacks at Russia, although on a smaller scale.

— Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026
The Navy plans to up its production rate to around 2 attack submarines and 1 nuclear submarine a year.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 21 Mar. 2026