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
Since the onset of Israel’s war against Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces engaged in cross-border skirmishes with Hezbollah – including ground operations on Lebanese soil – until a ceasefire deal was struck late last year.
—
Greg Norman, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2025
Late Tuesday, the Vatican said a chest CT scan showed the onset of bilateral pneumonia on top of asthmatic bronchitis, which is being treated with cortisone and antibiotics.
—Nicole Winfield, arkansasonline.com, 20 Feb. 2025
For example, during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the online advertising industry faced significant uncertainty.
—Sasha Vyash, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
The sudden onset of cold will coincide with yet another disruptive winter storm.
—Amanda Musa, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onset
Greg Norman, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2025
Late Tuesday, the Vatican said a chest CT scan showed the onset of bilateral pneumonia on top of asthmatic bronchitis, which is being treated with cortisone and antibiotics.
—Nicole Winfield, arkansasonline.com, 20 Feb. 2025
For example, during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the online advertising industry faced significant uncertainty.
—Sasha Vyash, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025
The sudden onset of cold will coincide with yet another disruptive winter storm.
—Amanda Musa, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onset
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onset
Noun
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According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, about 5:15 p.m. Monday, deputies responded to the area's Valley community for a report of a dog attack.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA TODAY,
1 Mar. 2025
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Hamas started the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that left 1,200 dead in Israel, mostly civilians, and took some 250 hostage.—
Samy Magdy and David Rising,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average is now down 2.1% since the beginning of President Donald Trump ’s second term.—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
7 Mar. 2025
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Post has been dating Christy Lee since the beginning of this year, sources told the outlet.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Change is a constant in most companies, but the ongoing onslaught of organizational change initiatives is creating frustration, exhaustion and burnout for many employees.—
Elizabeth Baskin,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago in an onslaught that has killed tens of thousands and displaced about 10 million people.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Mittelstadt had a strong postseason for Colorado and got off to a good start this season, but his game has since taken a downturn.—
Peter Baugh,
The Athletic,
6 Mar. 2025
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Norris is a one-lap specialist who struggles with starts and lacks the killer instinct to challenge Verstappen.—
Rob Reed,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In separate raids on Crimean anchorages in February, May and June 2024, the USVs sank a corvette, a landing ship, a patrol boat and a tugboat.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
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Military bloggers from both sides say Ukraine is on the back foot, while Ukraine’s army says Russian forces used a gas pipeline to launch a surprise raid in one area.—
Maria Kostenko, Christian Edwards and Sophie Tanno,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Following the commencement of the band’s U.K. and Ireland tour, Fontaines D.C.’s fourth LP Romance rises 15 places to finish the week at No. 13; the record originally went to No. 2 in August, and was beaten to the top spot during Carpenter’s reign at the top of the charts.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
6 Dec. 2024
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In 1979, Radner gave the commencement speech—fully in character as Roseanne Roseannadanna—to the graduating class at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, part of which wound up on her comedy album Gilda Radner: Live From New York, released that same year.—
Adrienne LaFrance,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Beijing has also softened its regulatory assault on Chinese technology companies and the property sector.—
Jacky Wong,
WSJ,
6 Feb. 2023
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Zelenskyy has warned for weeks that Moscow aims to step up its assault after about two months of virtual stalemate along the front line that stretches across the south and east.—
Reuters,
NBC News,
31 Jan. 2023
Noun
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Since its inception, NASA has selected 61 women to be astronauts, and the first all-female spacewalk, carried out by NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir, occurred outside the International Space Station in October 2019.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN,
27 Feb. 2025
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Perhaps soon-to-be former Lucasfilm executive Kathleen Kennedy, Plan B’s Dede Gardner, Lauren Shuler Donner, Stephanie Allain, and Sarah Green are all producers who have been honored with the award since its inception.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onset. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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