as in holds back
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sets back
Verb
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Sophie holds back and cries in her room.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026 -
Neutral is considered a spot that neither boosts nor holds back economic activity, and the funds rate is just half a percentage point above where most on the FOMC see the rate landing over the long term.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Paired with the Country Fried Steak, an 8-ounce beef steak lightly coated, fried, and topped with white gravy, the table has something substantial that holds up as the game stretches on.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
30 Jan. 2026
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Cumming holds up his iPhone to the camera, proudly boasting about still-unseen looks in all their campy and ridiculous glory.—
Jonathan Borge,
InStyle,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Recognizing delays inherent to deployment of new, full-scale reactors, the industry and government have focused in recent years on more efficient designs, including a small modular reactor proposed by the nation’s largest public power company, the Tennessee Valley Authority.—
Matthew Daly,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
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If emergency services are needed to make a repair, the full lead service line must be replaced within 30 days, or 120 days if weather delays the replacement process.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Official statistics show cucumber prices have doubled since December, while some shops are reported to be selling them at an even greater mark-up – wartime prices for a salad staple, as the Russian economy slows.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Ma adds that protein actually slows digestion and helps regulate appetite hormones, which can keep you feeling fuller for longer after meals.—
Riley Wofford,
Martha Stewart,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Precise, individual cuts are made at an angle where branches or stems meet to remove specific, problematic parts.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
22 Feb. 2026
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Fortunately, the woody stems do not seem to affect future growth and seasonal blooms.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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New York, expensive for artists then, is nearly impossible now; the Soho blocks where My Dinner With André opens no longer hint at a struggling artist’s life.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2026
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On August 2, 2027, the skies above parts of southern Spain, Northern Africa, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa will plunge into darkness as a total solar eclipse blocks all direct sunlight.—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The new map imposed last fall by Judge Dianna Gibson keeps Salt Lake County almost entirely within one district, instead of dividing the heavily Democratic population center among all four districts, as was previously the case.—
David A. Lieb,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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While the on-site team keeps specific hours, communication remains consistent and responsive throughout the stay.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What are your rights if ICE detains you?—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Independent groups like Human Rights Watch say the Venezuelan government intimidates human rights advocates, arrests and detains protesters and harasses journalists.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Sets back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sets%20back. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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