Definition

Noun: 1. An unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; a reversal or check in progress: A "setback" is an event that delays your progress or makes a situation worse than it was. 2. Something that is thwarting or frustrating: It refers to a difficulty or problem that makes it harder to achieve something.

Usage and Examples

• General Usage: Used to describe an unexpected problem or reversal that slows down or temporarily stops progress in a plan, project, or personal endeavor.
  • The team experienced a major setback when their lead developer resigned.
  • The bad weather was a setback to the construction schedule.
  • After a series of setbacks, she finally completed her degree.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Temporary Nature: A setback is typically viewed as a temporary obstacle, not a permanent failure. It implies the possibility of recovery.
  • The financial loss was a serious setback, but the company expects to recover next quarter.
• In Formal Contexts: Commonly used in business, academic, medical, and personal development contexts to describe obstacles.
  • The clinical trial suffered a setback due to regulatory issues.

Variants and Related Words

• Set back (phrasal verb): To delay or hinder the progress of something.
  • The launch was set back by several months.
• Setback (in architecture/planning): A legal requirement that a building or structure be a specified distance from the street, property line, or other feature.
  • The city's zoning laws include a 10-foot setback from the sidewalk.

Synonyms

• Hindrance: Something that provides resistance or delay.
• Obstacle: Something that blocks or stands in the way.
• Reversal: A change to an opposite direction, position, or course of action.
• Difficulty: A thing that is hard to accomplish or deal with.
• Impediment: A hindrance or obstruction in doing something.
• Delay: A period of time by which something is late or postponed.

Antonyms

• Advancement: The process of promoting a cause or plan, or moving forward.
• Breakthrough: A sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development.
• Progress: Forward or onward movement toward a destination or goal.
• Success: The accomplishment of an aim or purpose.

Common Collocations and Phrases

• Experience/suffer a setback: To encounter a problem.
• Major/serious/minor/temporary setback: Describing the scale or nature of the problem.
• Face setbacks: To deal with difficulties.
• Overcome a setback: To recover from a difficulty.

Noun

1. an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating