onsets

noun

plural of onset
1
as in attacks
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 beginnings
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of onsets Experts said the second earthquake began before the first had even ended, with the two onsets separated by just 39 seconds. — Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 26 June 2026 Anxiety disorders can persist into adulthood, particularly those disorders with early onsets and those that are left untreated. — Elana Bernstein, The Conversation, 13 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onsets
  1. attacks
  2. beginnings
  3. assaults
  4. starts
  5. raids
  6. inceptions
  7. onslaughts
  8. commencements
Noun
  • In Congo, where the outbreak has spread to seven provinces, responders have faced attacks on health teams, misinformation about the virus, a failure by locals to report symptoms and rebel violence that has limited access to treatment centers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The question also raised the recent spread of controversies over individual films into attacks on cast and crew and campaigns to halt screenings.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of attacks
Noun
  • Inspired by the Spanish luxury house’s own beginnings as an artisanal workshop, the award intends to recognize excellence and innovation in craft in all its forms.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • And Royal Enfield, which is now one of the most recognizable brands on the planet, has had an even longer, stranger journey from its British beginnings to becoming an Indian motorcycle powerhouse.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of beginnings
Noun
  • Over the same period, CATS reported 10 assaults, or less than four per every 10 million passenger trips, on the light rail, data CATS submitted to the federal government shows.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Moscow and Kyiv have intensified their aerial assaults as progress along the 750-mile front line has largely ground to a halt.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of assaults
Noun
  • Is this the same guy who caught 49 passes for 610 yards in 15 starts for Dallas two years ago?
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Research has found that produce starts to lose nutritional value as soon as it’s harvested.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of starts
Noun
  • When compared to Operation Free MacArthur Park's summer raids, Hochman said Skid Row covers a 50-city-block area, making the park's enforcement almost like a test run for Thursday's massive operation.
    — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Thursday’s raids stretched from Simi Valley to West Covina, targeting homes, a storefront downtown and numerous vehicles.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of raids
Noun
  • Eddie Buehler went 22 for 32 with 201 yards, two TDs and a pair of inceptions for the Black Bears (1-3).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of inceptions
Noun
  • In fact, reported evidence suggests this software commitment (from a company making its revenue from hardware) has been crucial to Nvidia’s success in fending off onslaughts from other hardware vendors such as Intel.
    — Nisha Talagala, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Ukraine has been largely helpless in similar Russian onslaughts in recent weeks.
    — Tom Bowman, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of onslaughts
Noun
  • The students booing artificial intelligence at commencements across the country are not just worried about jobs.
    — Mark Bardeen Andrejevic, Washington Post, 10 July 2026
  • Recent Harvard commencements have grown much more political.
    — Michael Casey, Fortune, 29 May 2026
Definition of commencements

Browse Nearby Words

onset
onsets
onslaught
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Cite this Entry

“Onsets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onsets. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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