View synonyms for

setback

[ set-bak ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a check to progress; a reverse or defeat:
The new law was a setback.
Architecture. a recession of the upper part of a building from the building line, as to lighten the structure or to permit a desired amount of light and air to reach ground level at the foot of the building.
an act or instance of setting back:
A nightly setback of your home thermostats can save a great deal of fuel.
Also a downward temperature adjustment of a thermostat, especially performed automatically, as by a timer.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of setback¹

First recorded in 1665–75; noun use of verb phrase set back

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Bonta acknowledged the setbacks but noted they denied emergency relief only — without reaching any final conclusions about the underlying legality of the administration’s actions or the merits of the state’s challenges to them.

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The total loss of OAR and its crown jewel in Princeton represents a setback for climate preparedness that experts warn the nation may never recover from.

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"It's a setback, but with the right actions it can be just a bruise rather than a lasting scar."

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As he prepares to lift his second Premier League title with Liverpool, we look at how the 33-year-old centre-back learned from early setbacks to become one of the best in the world.

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Despite years-long setbacks on multiple healthcare initiatives and expected Medicaid cuts from the Trump administration, the governor still promises to make generic insulin available for $30.

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Related Words

set at rest set-back

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