setback

1 of 2

noun

set·​back ˈset-ˌbak 

1

: a checking of progress

2

: defeat, reverse

3

: pitch entry 4 sense 7

4

: a placing of a face of a building on a line some distance to the rear of the building line or of the wall below

also : the area produced by a setback

5

: automatic scheduled adjustment to a lower temperature setting of a thermostat

6

: the distance of a structure or other feature (such as a well or septic system) from the property line or other feature

set back

2 of 2

verb

set back; setting back; sets back

transitive verb

1

: to slow the progress of : hinder, delay

2

: cost

a new suit will set you back $200

Synonyms

Noun

• knock
• lapse
• reversal
• reverse

Examples of setback in a Sentence

Noun

Despite some early setbacks, they eventually became a successful company.

the colonists persevered despite suffering setbacks that would have discouraged lesser souls

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images Nuclear power may be making a comeback in the U.S. after years of setbacks — and big tech is the driving force. —Natasha Turak, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024

Failing or underperforming on these exams can feel devastating, but setbacks shouldn't define your future. —Vijay Naik, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

Verb

When daylight saving time ends, clocks are set back an hour, giving us an extra hour of sleep. —Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 5 Oct. 2024

While there was plenty of outcry over the subject matter and some of the visuals paired with the music, that didn’t hold the set back from becoming a bestseller. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

setback

noun

set·​back ˈset-ˌbak 

: a slowing of progress : a temporary defeat