Thesaurus
onset
noun
Synonyms and Antonyms of ONSET
1
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence <the walls withstood the onset of the first battalion>
Synonyms aggression, assault, attempt, blitz, blitzkrieg, charge, coup de main, descent, offense (or offence), offensive, onset, onslaught, raid, rush, strike
Related Words ambuscade, ambush; counteraggression, counterassault, counterattack, counteroffensive, counterstrike; sally, sortie; envelopment, flanking; breakthrough, foray, incursion, invasion; pillage, ravage, sack; air raid, bombardment, bombing; siege, storm; barrage, cannonade, fusillade, hail, salvo, volley; whammy
Near Antonyms defense, defensive, guard, shield; opposition, resistance; protection, security, shelter
2
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 alpha, baseline, birth, commencement, dawn, day one, genesis, get-go (also git-go), inception, incipience, incipiency, kickoff, launch, morning, nascence, nascency, onset, outset, start, threshold
Related Words drawing board, first base, ground zero, square one; creation, founding, inauguration, initiation, institution, origination; cradle, fountain, fountainhead, germ, origin, root, seedbed, source, spring, well, wellspring; dawning, opening; advent, appearance, arrival, debut (also début), emergence; childhood, infancy, youth
Near Antonyms cessation, closing, closure, completion, finale, finish, period, stop, termination, windup
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up onset? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).