1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of onset
But by 2016, stickers replaced handwriting as mobile ordering grew more popular, and the practice completely disappeared in 2020 with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
—
Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Their proportion of global leader travel fell from around 15% in 1990-1994 to about 10% since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
—Collin J. Meisel, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
What’s really happening, of course, is a sudden onset of Tourette’s, presumably exacerbated by mounting stress both at home and at school.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Genetic tests revealed the cause, early-onset FSHD, which only affects 5-10% of those with the disease.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onset
Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Their proportion of global leader travel fell from around 15% in 1990-1994 to about 10% since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
—Collin J. Meisel, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
What’s really happening, of course, is a sudden onset of Tourette’s, presumably exacerbated by mounting stress both at home and at school.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Genetic tests revealed the cause, early-onset FSHD, which only affects 5-10% of those with the disease.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onset
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onset
Noun
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Bin Laden, through the al-Qaida terrorist organization, targeted the United States for nearly a decade before the 9/11 attacks in 2001, utilizing this large and expansive infrastructure.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Polish officials said 19 objects entered its airspace during a large Russian air attack on Ukraine.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The beginning of the evening was marked by an intimate performance on behalf of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.—
Robyn Mowatt,
Essence,
12 Sep. 2025
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And targeting, torturing, and murdering political opponents, rivals, and critics have marked the conflict since its beginning.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Mad Men would be named Best Drama for a third straight year and Temple Grandin commenced what turned out to be a seemingly endless onslaught at every applicable awards show, as the TV-movie tied an Emmy record with five major wins.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
13 Sep. 2025
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Poland was not alone in defending its citizens from the Russian onslaught meant for Ukraine.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This son of Justify, like his pappy, was unraced at two but has two wins, a second, and a third in five starts this year.—
Danny Brewer,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Chargers got off to a hot start to the season in year two under Jim Harbaugh by defeating the Chiefs 27-21 in the NFL season opener.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Though the United States decided against deportation, images of the workers being chained and handcuffed during the raid caused widespread alarm in South Korea.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
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Following the indictment, the FBI on Wednesday conducted a raid near Augusta, Georgia, arresting leaders after years of allegations that the church operated like a cult and preyed on military communities nationwide.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The University of Southern California said security concerns prompted it to cancel the commencement speech of its 2024 valedictorian, who was an outspoken advocate for Palestinians, according to The Associated Press.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Bastian often mentions this experience in commencement speeches to encourage graduates that their futures are unlimited.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Multiple rights experts and scholars say Israel's military assault on Gaza amounts to genocide.—
Jarrett Renshaw,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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This coalesces and makes sense of the barrage of assaults designed to undermine Americans’ trust in our country, our Constitution and all the principles upon which it was built.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Since Nomad’s inception, Bellavance-Lecompte and his cofounder Giorgio Pace, an avant-garde curator, have seen the fair resonate in the fashion world, while drawing chief executive officers from the sector’s biggest conglomerates.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
10 Sep. 2025
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The Rare Impact Fund — which was previously held in 2023 and 2024 — has raised more than $20 million and supported 30 nonprofit partners across five continents since its 2020 inception.—
Katie Atkinson,
Billboard,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onset. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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