How to pronounce onset
Say it like ON-set. Onset has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ON).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce onset. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ON
- set
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Onset pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ONSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- setGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of onset
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: ON-set.
Other ways to say onset
Onset also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- AWN-set /ˈɔnˌsɛt/
What does onset mean?
- the beginning or early stages“the onset of pneumonia”
Where does onset come from?
From on- + set. Compare Old English onsettan (“to impose; oppress, bear down”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying onset
How do you pronounce onset?
Say ON-set. The American pronunciation is /ˈɑnˌsɛt/. In British English it is /ˈɒnˌsɛt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in onset?
Onset has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ON). Broken into parts: ON · set.
Is onset pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈɒnˌsɛt/ (ON-set).