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

• reversal
• reverse

Examples of setback in a Sentence

Noun

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

The explorers persevered despite suffering setbacks that would have discouraged those with lesser ambition.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Donald Trump suffered a legal setback Thursday after a federal judge ruled against his administration's efforts to end Temporary Protected Status for tens of thousands of migrants. —Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025

Beneath the surface, both are grappling with personal wounds, career setbacks and lingering tensions between them. —Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 31 July 2025

Verb

This deal is therefore a major move toward reducing EU reliance on Russian energy, which can ensure greater energy security, and may help significantly set back Russia’s war machine by hitting the Kremlin in the pocketbook. —Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025

His ideas were later propagated by the likes of Charles Hughes in the 1980s, arguably setting back English football stylistically by decades. —Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 24 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for setback

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

setback

noun

set·​back ˈset-ˌbak 

: a slowing of progress : a temporary defeat