1
as in attacks
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 beginnings
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onsets
Noun
-
Sirens sounded across Israel as a precautionary measure, alerting the public to potential missile attacks, the IDF confirmed.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Feb. 2026 -
So far, Iran’s proxies have not carried out retaliatory attacks tied to the strikes against Iran, though that could change.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
What could be more on-brand in terms of honoring the slasher movies of yore, really, than beating a great central concept into the ground with infinite final chapters and new beginnings?—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
27 Feb. 2026
-
This is a year of new beginnings, adventures and major changes.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Friday, several of the victims recounted the assaults during his sentencing.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2026
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Afghan capital, Kabul, and two other provinces were attacked hours after the Taliban launched cross-border assaults.—
Marissa Martinez,
NBC news,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That annoying voice in the back of the mind or deep in your gut starts to sound more convincing.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Sophomore Sawyer Farr has appeared in six games, making three starts at second.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The raids mark a dramatic expansion into the activities and records of Carvalho and Kerr, who has filed a claim saying that the now-defunct AllHere owes her $630,000.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Episodes will explore a world of daring raids, epic battles and empire-building, following legendary figures such as Ragnar Lothbrok, Canute and Harald Hardrada.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When will these onslaughts of cold end?—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
By moving some commencements away from increasingly costly private sites, the financially ailing school district could have saved about half a million dollars a year.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Dynamic shifts on the battlefield — with large swaths of Ukrainian land changing hands in offensives and counteroffensives in the early years of the war — have since given way to a conflict of inches.—
Joanna Kakissis,
NPR,
24 Feb. 2026
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In previous offensives, Shabab managed to move back into areas after government forces withdrew or failed to maintain a presence.—
Omar Faruk,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Onsets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onsets. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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