sets back

verb

present tense third-person singular of set back
as in holds back

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sets back
  1. holds back
  2. holds up
  3. delays
  4. slows
  5. stems
  6. blocks
  7. keeps
  8. detains
Verb
  • Eventually, though, and soon, Colorado will need to institute a new water conservation program that holds back some water for release downstream through this stretch and on toward Lake Powell when it’s most needed in summer, Holm said.
    — Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Samsung traditionally holds back one color in the Galaxy S range to be a web exclusive and drive consumers to its website, although typically this is one of the standard black or grey colors.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Definition of holds back
Verb
  • Playing surface holds up After concerns about the playing surface this week, the grass field at the Maracana appeared to hold up pretty well.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Vogue’s coverage points to the enduring appeal of ’90s supermodel beauty, built around a balance between bold and natural elements that still holds up in 2026.
    — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of holds up
Verb
  • Fat actually delays gastric emptying and digestion even more, keeping blood sugar much steadier.
    — Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Tennis has always been highly dependent on the weather; unlike in soccer or football, rain cancels or delays a match until the court is dry enough to be playable.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of delays
Verb
  • Tennessee changed its lethal injection protocol in 2024, abandoning its previous three-drug method in favor of the single drug pentobarbital, which slows down a person’s nervous system.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In a river, water slows down by the bank due to friction, and the velocity mismatches can produce vortices or eddies.
    — Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of slows
Verb
  • After cutting open both stems and swapping the batteries between earbuds, iFixit noticed the buds could no longer be charged.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The reason Dancing With the Stars doesn’t air live for its West Coast audience stems back to local news and the coveted primetime programming slots.
    — McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of stems
Verb
  • First responders typically treat opioid overdoses with a drug called naloxone, which temporarily blocks the mu-opioid receptors.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Removing standing access reduces blast radius and buys time, while quick access withdrawal across hybrid environments blocks attacker pathways.
    — Robert Bobel, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of blocks
Verb
  • This keeps the performance informal and keeps the narrative — a staggering odyssey of injustices, abuses, travel adventures, extraordinary coincidences, losses, reunions, reflections and self-analysis — from becoming sensationalized.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Her muscle Joe keeps bleeding her for more money to find Ethel, who has seemingly disappeared.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of keeps
Verb
  • The Midwest Regional Reception Center detains close to 500 fathers, mothers, spouses, cousins and friends on behalf of ICE.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The policy guidance applies to agents under Enforcement and Removal Operations, the branch of ICE that detains and ultimately deports undocumented immigrants.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 14 July 2026
Definition of detains
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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sets at
sets back
sets by
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Cite this Entry

“Sets back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sets%20back. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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