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
  • 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
  • The hydropower from Glen Canyon Dam that holds back Lake Powell serves more than 350,000 homes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Definition of holds back
Verb
  • Seneca's insight holds up because the underlying pattern hasn't changed in two thousand years.
    — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The thick, 100 percent organic cotton fabric feels lightweight but holds up better than workwear canvas.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 13 July 2026
Definition of holds up
Verb
  • The person who delays repayment may create tension, even if unintentionally.
    — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Chief Estella Patterson told committee members officers have a hard time determining the exact age of juveniles without an ID, which delays the investigation and prolongs police interactions.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026
Definition of delays
Verb
  • Say a poll worker places a bet on one candidate, and in order to make money, the person slows down the vote count or does an intentional undercount to change the real election result.
    — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 27 July 2026
  • Every unnecessary year spent waiting for approvals delays investment, slows industrial growth and postpones the benefits of lower-cost, cleaner electricity.
    — Andreas Schierenbeck, Fortune, 27 July 2026
Definition of slows
Verb
  • Next, place the cut stems in a basket, ensuring they are not crushed or damaged.
    — Lauren Wellbank, Martha Stewart, 23 July 2026
  • From there, the tension stems not from an unending well of sustained suspense but from the shrapnel-like feeling of worry that comes from enduring too many uncomfortable misunderstandings at once.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 July 2026
Definition of stems
Verb
  • This chamber, called the Maxwell Test Chamber (which is located at the European Space Research and Technology Centre in the Netherlands), is an enclosure made of conductive metal that blocks electromagnetic fields.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 24 July 2026
  • Unlike statins, which reduce the body’s cholesterol production, Lipfendra blocks a protein called PCSK9.
    — Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 24 July 2026
Definition of blocks
Verb
  • That just keeps the question going, because the movie at its core is a question for the audience, less than an answer.
    — William Earl, Variety, 24 July 2026
  • Preston keeps potting mix in her garage and plans to work through the rest of the planters in the fall.
    — Josh Bergeron, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026
Definition of keeps
Verb
  • 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
  • Alligator Alcatraz houses a few hundred employees in trailers and detains about 650 male immigrants in large tents; until a few weeks ago, the number of those being detained was nearly 1,500.
    — Eric Schlosser, The Atlantic, 4 June 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 29 Jul. 2026.

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