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
-
The agency was established in 2003 after the 9/11 attacks.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026 -
Ukraine's security service said that five rescue workers suffered injuries while responding to the site of ongoing attacks.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Both stories have been condensed to their main scenes and songs but still contain full stories with beginnings, middles and ends.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Jan. 2026
-
What numerology 2026 means for your life The destiny number 1 stands for new beginnings, personal responsibility, and courageous initiative.—
Hannah Madlener,
Glamour,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Federal officials have said agents, including those part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are seeing increases in assaults and threats against them.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
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As in previous years, almost all the assaults on responsible growth management start with the premise that local government leaders can’t be trusted to guide (or even listen to) their own communities.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In his past two starts, the guard has made 11 of his 19 attempts, including 6-of-8 shooting against the Golden Eagles.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Jan. 2026
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Moore did not allow a sack on 866 snaps during two seasons and 21 appearances, including 10 starts (nine in 2025).—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Other factors are driving up beef prices, too, including feed costs because of tariffs coming from Canada and labor shortages with immigrant raids on ranches.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Jan. 2026
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In March 2024, his private plane traveled from California to Antigua amid raids on his homes in Los Angeles and Miami by federal agents, according to flight trackers reviewed by PEOPLE at the time.—
Sarah Jones,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Higher-level Russian headquarters interpret this footage as evidence that territory has been captured and therefore do not order further offensives.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
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Decades of military offensives, however, have considerably weakened Abu Sayyaf and other such armed groups, and Philippine military and police officials say there has been no recent indication of any foreign militants in the country's south.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
As a ballplayer, Kent was as irascible as Bonds; the two alphas reportedly brawled behind clubhouse doors, and famously clashed in the dugout during a 2002 game, when Bonds lunged for Kent’s throat and pushed him against the wall.—
Jeremy Collins,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Both suspects were treated for gunshot wounds and later charged with federal offenses.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
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Other offenses include fleeing from police, escaping from the Northeast Regional Corrections Center, theft, trespassing and giving police a false name.—
Tom Olsen,
Twin Cities,
14 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Onsets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onsets. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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