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
The week’s biggest stories (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
The worst flu season in years swamps California
By one measure, this season has already been more potent than any seen since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
—
Martina Ibáñez-Baldor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Beaver’s Pond Press experienced this firsthand during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2025
There is a very strict window of time in which this medicine can be given — three hours from the onset of symptoms, although there can be exceptions under specific circumstances.
—Katia Hetter, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025
The recovery was mired in a mix of challenges, including widespread lack of sufficient insurance, the onset of the COVID pandemic, steep terrain, aging septic systems and sky-high construction costs.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onset
Martina Ibáñez-Baldor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Beaver’s Pond Press experienced this firsthand during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Mars King, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2025
There is a very strict window of time in which this medicine can be given — three hours from the onset of symptoms, although there can be exceptions under specific circumstances.
—Katia Hetter, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025
The recovery was mired in a mix of challenges, including widespread lack of sufficient insurance, the onset of the COVID pandemic, steep terrain, aging septic systems and sky-high construction costs.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onset
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onset
Noun
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Both dogs reportedly had a history, and Gunner was euthanized shortly after the attack, the outlet reported.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
17 Feb. 2025
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Former President Joe Biden issued Fauci a pre-emptive federal pardon as a hedge against what Biden said could be politically motivated attacks.—
Jim Turner,
Orlando Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The Premier League also suspended its six-year deal with Match TV, a Russian broadcaster, that was due to start at the beginning of the 2022-23 season.—
Dan Sheldon,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
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The pipeline that fed Austria through Ukraine and Slovakia stopped flowing at the beginning of this year.—
Stanley Reed,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 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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The Mecha Break servers completely failed to withstand the onslaught of testers, crashing under the pressure of players trying to log on and find matches, especially in China.—
Oliver Brandt,
Newsweek,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
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After being promoted to Syracuse in the middle of May, Tidwell pitched to an ERA just under six and won one game — the last start of the year.—
Tim Britton,
The Athletic,
22 Feb. 2025
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Jackson finished the season with 23 tackles and two pass breakups in nine games (three starts).—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Related article Three men on trial over $6 million gold toilet stolen in ‘audacious raid’ Estele and his wife hope to build a new house with their half of the money, Debuisson said.—
Jack Guy,
CNN,
25 Feb. 2025
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The raid, which included dismantling the working 103 kilogram, 18-karat gold toilet, titled America (2016), took only five minutes.—
Francesca Aton,
ARTnews.com,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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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
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In 2019, at age 99, she was honored by Winston-Salem State and walked across the stage with the graduating class during a commencement ceremony.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
10 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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The whiskies that make up the blend have matured under the watch of all five of the master blenders Royal Salute has had since its inception.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onset. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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