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
  • That exposure is the difference between a tool that handles the easy 90% and one that holds up under the other 10%, where the real liability lives.
    — Tyler Hochman, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Pretty in Pink, directed by Howard Deutch from a Hughes screenplay, holds up as a far better Ringwald vehicle.
    — Al Shipley, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of holds up
Verb
  • The continuing resolution delays the prohibition on hemp products from November 12 until December 11, giving lawmakers time to regulate the popular consumer products instead of prohibiting them outright.
    — A.J. Herrington, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Cellphone use before bed delays the natural drop in cortisol that teenagers need to fall asleep, according to Alice Hoagland, PhD, director of the Insomnia Clinic at the Rochester Regional Sleep Disorder Center.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of delays
Verb
  • Adding something as simple as a hedge near a river slows down water and gives it time to seep deep into the ground.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • This slows down decision-making, reduces autonomy, and distances employees from meaningful work.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of slows
Verb
  • Suckering can begin as ash trees become stressed by borers and produce small leafy stems near their base.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Next, place stems in a container with a little water in a cool place before using them in an arrangement.
    — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 31 July 2026
Definition of stems
Verb
  • There is no statewide law banning dogs from riding in a vehicle, but an unrestrained pet that blocks your view or climbs into your lap can lead to a reckless driving citation.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Solar eclipse watchers have for centuries vividly described an eerie phenomenon known as shadow bands that appears just before and after totality — the period when the moon completely blocks the sun’s light and the sky goes dark.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of blocks
Verb
  • Cohen said yielding ground to Iran would be difficult for the president, even if the conflict keeps gasoline prices elevated and poses problems for Republicans in November’s midterm elections.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Journal, rest, take a silent walk, or name the thought that keeps circling.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 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 10 Aug. 2026.

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