square one
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of square one
First recorded in 1955–60; alluding to board games in which a player is penalized by being forced to return to the starting point
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.
That leaves investors back to square one, in some respects, in terms of assessing the market’s path into the second half of the year.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
Having given up his first degree in sport and English to focus on football a few years earlier, Tuchel was now back to square one.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
If not, we are back to square one.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 9, 2026
But he quickly found himself back to square one; back to where it all started.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2026
"I guess it's back to square one," George said.
From "Case of the Sneaky Snowman: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #5" by Carolyn Keene
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
