Spell Bee Word: Onset

What does onset mean?

Word: Onset

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: Onset means the start of something, often a change in the weather or the seasons.

Synonyms: beginning

Antonyms: end

How do you spell onset?

Syllables: on - set

Tricky part: The noun is written as one solid word, with no space or hyphen.

Watch out for: on-set, onsit

Memory tip: The onset of rain is one sudden moment, so keep the word in one piece.

Onset in a sentence

Example 1: The onset of winter brings thick fog to Delhi in the mornings.

Example 2: At the onset of the exam season, the school library gets very quiet.

Example 3: Birds started singing at the onset of dawn.

Fun Fact

In Britain, weather forecasters count the onset of spring from 1 March, but astronomers date it from the spring equinox, around 20 March.

Practise the CREST Way

Word Connection

Choose the antonym of the word:

onset

a) start
b) arrival
c) conclusion
d) dawn

Word Cookie

Find the misspelt word in the sentence:

With the onsett of spring, the mango trees in our street burst into flower.

a) onsett
b) spring
c) street
d) flower

Word Makeup

Choose the correctly spelt compound word:

a) undergrowh
b) ofshoot
c) waterfal
d) onset

Word Cookie

Find the extra letter in the word:

onnset

a) n
b) s
c) t
d) e

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Alice opened her umbrella at the onset of the rain. When did she open it?

a) the next morning
b) right at the very end
c) halfway through
d) soon after it began

2. At the onset of the monsoon, the rains are ____.

a) just beginning
b) long over
c) slowly ending
d) at their heaviest