2
: beginning, commencement
the onset of winter
the onset of age-related diseases
Synonyms
Examples of onset in a Sentence
the walls withstood the onset of the first battalion
the claim that if you take enough vitamin C at the onset of a cold, you'll often recover faster
Recent Examples on the Web
Play is suspended at the onset of precipitation and doesn’t resume until the showers end, courts are dried off and players warm up, all of which takes time.
—
Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2024
But a 2022 study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society found no evidence to suggest that transgender children who haven't been through puberty, or those that receive gender-affirming care at the onset of puberty, hold any advantage.
—Karissa Waddick, The Courier-Journal, 24 June 2024
Share [Findings] Ostrich-shell beads indicating the onset of the Initial Upper Paleolithic were found to have reached Shuidonggou by 39000 bc, and strontium isotope levels revealed the social exchange of ostrich-shell beads during the Late Quaternary in the Karoo Supergroup.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 19 June 2024
At the onset of another scorching summer, the Office of People’s Counsel filed an emergency petition with the Maryland Public Service Commission on Tuesday asking the utility regulator to halt power shut-offs until Sept. 15.
—Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 19 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for onset 
Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2024
But a 2022 study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society found no evidence to suggest that transgender children who haven't been through puberty, or those that receive gender-affirming care at the onset of puberty, hold any advantage.
—Karissa Waddick, The Courier-Journal, 24 June 2024
Share [Findings] Ostrich-shell beads indicating the onset of the Initial Upper Paleolithic were found to have reached Shuidonggou by 39000 bc, and strontium isotope levels revealed the social exchange of ostrich-shell beads during the Late Quaternary in the Karoo Supergroup.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 19 June 2024
At the onset of another scorching summer, the Office of People’s Counsel filed an emergency petition with the Maryland Public Service Commission on Tuesday asking the utility regulator to halt power shut-offs until Sept. 15.
—Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 19 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for onset
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'onset.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near onset
Cite this Entry
“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onset. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
onset
noun
on·set
ˈȯn-ˌset 
ˈän-
Medical Definition
onset
noun
on·set
ˈȯn-ˌset, ˈän-
: the initial existence or symptoms of a disease
the onset of scarlet fever
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