Synonyms for onset
Most common
beginning dawn initiation commencement onslaught onrush arrival advent
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Beginning — A setting about; a beginning
beginning, initiation, start, dawn, commencement, birth, origin, inauguration, origination, source, inception
Definitions
- n. 1
A setting about; a beginning.
- n. 2
The initial phase of a disease or condition, in which symptoms first become apparent.
the onset of schizophrenia
Forms
- Plural
- onsets → beginnings, initiations, starts, dawns…
Example sentences
- beginning Will we be in time for the beginning of the party?
- dawn Dawn, to the poet Yeats, is "the brightening air."
- initiation Many sects have initiation rituals for new members.
- commencement Commencement is typically the first or second Saturday in April.
- onslaught The defenders checked the onslaught by the attackers.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| onset | rising | |
| beginning | steady | |
| dawn | rising | |
| initiation | steady | |
| commencement | falling | |
| onslaught | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- dawn1
- 5 letters
- start1, birth1, brunt1
- 6 letters
- source1, attack2, charge1, access2, origin3, advent2, onrush, charre
- 7 letters
- assault2, arrival3
- 8 letters
- storming2, oncoming3
- 9 letters
- beginning3, inception3, onslaught2
- 10 letters
- aggression3, initiation5
- 11 letters
- origination5
- 12 letters
- inauguration5, commencement3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (attack2 = 2 syllables).