setback
noun
a check to progress; a reverse or defeat.
setbacks
-
pluralof setback.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
European organisers, including those in France and, more recently, the Netherlands, have encountered similar setbacks.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Other setbacks included the discovery of a 109-yard upside-down arch designed by the Victorians to reduce flooding—a finding described by Network Rail as the “point of no return” for the closure of the road.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
Coach Sean McVay has said that, barring setbacks, he expected Donald would play against the Bills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
Ten years after her own solar roof was installed, and despite the sector's setbacks, Learoyd remains optimistic.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The little Balkan nation of Bulgaria, watching the Italian and Russian setbacks, threw in its lot with the Central Powers.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
