onset

noun

on·​set ˈȯn-ˌset 

ˈän-

1

: attack, assault

withstand the onset of the army

2

: beginning, commencement

the onset of winter

the onset of age-related diseases

Synonyms

• aggression
• assault
• attack
• attempt
• blitz
• blitzkrieg
• charge
• coup de main
• descent
• offense
• offence
• offensive
• onslaught
• raid
• rush
• strike

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

Climate Denial as a Defense Mechanism Much like a terror management lab experiment – or the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic– natural disasters like hurricanes Helene and Milton trigger death anxiety. —Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024

As a longtime Palo Alto resident, she’s been to the gardens throughout her life, and recalls stopping by for a visit in 2020 just before widespread shelter-in-place orders went into effect with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. —Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024

Moscow has had success in the past on this front, however, notably playing a significant part in mending their ties with Damascus, which returned to the Arab League last year after being shut out at the onset of the civil war in 2011. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

James and her fellow attorneys general noted that price gouging was especially prevalent at the onset of the Ukraine war and during the COVID-19 pandemic, both of which were issues that affected the national supply chain. —Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing onset

• adult-onset diabetes
• juvenile-onset diabetes

Kids Definition

onset

noun

on·​set ˈȯn-ˌset 

ˈän-

1

: attack entry 2 sense 1

2

: beginning sense 1

Medical Definition

onset

noun

on·​set ˈȯn-ˌset, ˈän- 

: the initial existence or symptoms of a disease

the onset of scarlet fever