Onset - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT onset /ˈɑnsɛt/ /ˈɒnsɛt/ IPA guide

Other forms: onsets

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.

Definitions of onset

noun the beginning or early stages “the onset of pneumonia” synonyms: oncoming see moresee less type of: start the beginning of anything
noun (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons) synonyms: attack, onrush, onslaught see moresee less types: show 58 types... hide 58 types... ground attack an attack by ground troops charge an impetuous rush toward someone or something banzai attack, banzai charge a mass attack of troops without concern for casualties; originated by Japanese who accompanied it with yells of `banzai' diversion, diversionary attack an attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack incursion, penetration an attack that penetrates into enemy territory blitz, blitzkrieg a swift and violent military offensive with intensive aerial bombardment strike an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective counterattack, countermove an attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc. bombardment, bombing an attack by dropping bombs fire, firing the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy strafe an attack of machine-gun fire or cannon fire from a low flying airplane coup de main, surprise attack an attack without warning diversionary landing an amphibious diversionary attack countercharge a retaliatory charge interpenetration the action of penetrating between or among breakthrough a penetration of a barrier such as an enemy's defense invasion the act of invading; the act of an army that invades for conquest or plunder infiltration a process in which individuals (or small groups) penetrate an area (especially the military penetration of enemy positions without detection) foray, maraud, raid a sudden short attack first strike the initial use of nuclear weapons to attack a country that also has nuclear weapons; considered feasible only when the attacker can destroy the other country's ability to retaliate surgical strike an attack (usually without prior warning) intended to deal only with a specific target preventive attack, preventive strike a strike that is carried out in order to deter expected aggression by hostile forces bombing run that part of the flight that begins with the approach to the target; includes target acquisition and ends with the release of the bombs area bombing, carpet bombing, saturation bombing an extensive and systematic bombing intended to devastate a large target antiaircraft fire firing at enemy aircraft barrage, barrage fire, battery, bombardment, shelling the heavy fire of artillery to saturate an area rather than hit a specific target broadside the simultaneous firing of all the armament on one side of a warship burst, fusillade, salvo, volley rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms call fire fire delivered on a specific target in response to a request from the supported unit cover, covering fire fire that makes it difficult for the enemy to fire on your own individuals or formations concentrated fire, massed fire fire from two or more weapons directed at a single target or area (as fire by batteries of two or more warships) counterfire fire intended to neutralize or destroy enemy weapons counterpreparation fire intensive prearranged fire delivered when the immanence of enemy attack is discovered crossfire fire from two or more points so that the lines of fire cross destruction fire fire delivered for the sole purpose of destroying material objects direct fire fire delivered on a target that is visible to the person aiming it distributed fire fire dispersed so as to engage effectively an area target fratricide, friendly fire fire that injures or kills an ally hostile fire fire that injures or kills an enemy grazing fire fire approximately parallel to the ground; the center of the cone of fire does rise above 1 meter from the ground harassing fire fire designed to disturb the rest of enemy troops and to curtail movement and to lower enemy morale indirect fire fire delivered on a target that is not itself used as the point of aim for the weapons interdiction fire fire directed to an area to prevent the enemy from using that area neutralization fire fire that is delivered in order to render the target ineffective or unusable observed fire fire for which the point of impact (the burst) can be seen by an observer; fire can be adjusted on the basis of the observations preparation fire fire delivered on a target in preparation for an assault radar fire gunfire aimed a target that is being tracked by radar registration fire fire delivered to obtain accurate data for subsequent effective engagement of targets scheduled fire prearranged fire delivered at a predetermined time searching fire fire distributed in depth by successive changes in the elevation of the gun supporting fire fire delivered by supporting units to protect or assist a unit in combat suppressive fire fire on or about a weapon system to degrade its performance below what is needed to fulfill its mission objectives unobserved fire fire for which the point of impact (the bursts) cannot be observed artillery fire, cannon fire fire delivered by artillery riposte (fencing) a counterattack made immediately after successfully parrying the opponents lunge terrorist attack a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aims ambuscade, ambush, lying in wait, trap the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise pre-emptive strike a surprise attack that is launched in order to prevent the enemy from doing it to you type of: military operation, operation activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign)

Pronunciation US /ˈɑnsɛt/ UK /ˈɒnsɛt/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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