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
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.
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Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
From the onset of Schauffele’s relationship with golf, motivational allegories and philosophical adages were fed into his psyche.
—Gabby Herzig, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
The intervening years have not been without hardship for Jeni, who has an adult onset of the same rare form of muscular dystrophy, and was diagnosed in 2015 with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
—Elissa Rosen, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024
What To Know Denmark has been a critical ally for Ukraine since the onset of the full-scale invasion, earmarking over $7 billion in funds for the country through to 2028, according to the Ministry of Defense.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
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Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
From the onset of Schauffele’s relationship with golf, motivational allegories and philosophical adages were fed into his psyche.
—Gabby Herzig, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
The intervening years have not been without hardship for Jeni, who has an adult onset of the same rare form of muscular dystrophy, and was diagnosed in 2015 with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
—Elissa Rosen, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024
What To Know Denmark has been a critical ally for Ukraine since the onset of the full-scale invasion, earmarking over $7 billion in funds for the country through to 2028, according to the Ministry of Defense.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for onset
Dictionary Entries Near onset
Cite this Entry
“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onset. Accessed 8 Jan. 2025.
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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