onset
Americannoun
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a beginning or start.
the onset of winter.
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an assault or attack.
an onset of the enemy.
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Phonetics. the segment of a syllable preceding the nucleus, as the gr in great.
noun
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an attack; assault
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a start; beginning
Etymology
Origin of onset
Compare meaning
How does onset compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When something is at its onset, it's at the beginning, just getting started, and it's often something that's not so pleasant. The onset of hurricane season is probably not the best time to visit the beach. If you catch an infection right at the onset and treat it immediately, the infection may not last so long. You can also have an early onset of something, and that usually means something you'd rather not have at all, as with early-onset Alzheimer's, a disease that usually appears after age 65. If you begin showing signs of the disease at a younger age than usual, you're said to have early-onset Alzheimer's.
Vocabulary lists containing onset
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
World War II delayed the onset of the television age, but by 1948 it was spreading fast, and further strengthening the cultural trends radio had begun.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026
After widespread volcanic activity about 4 million years ago, the onset of necking caused the land in the rift to sink.
From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026
I link the onset of my SD to my intubation rather than my profession, but honestly, I can’t be sure if that’s what caused it.
From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026
Of the 27 that so far have reported data, the median monthly rise of 5.5% exceeds even the surge seen after the onset of the Russia–Ukraine conflict in March 2022, he said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026
Kaan’s loss marks the onset of the Maya collapse.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
