set back

It means to cause a delay or hinder progress. Imagine you're moving forward, and suddenly something stops you or pushes you backward. That's what 'set back' describes – an interruption to your plans or goals.

Yes, it's almost always used for negative situations. It describes an unwelcome interruption or delay. You wouldn't say a surprise party 'set you back' unless it somehow caused a problem, which is unlikely!

Not directly. The phrase describes an external event causing a delay. You might *feel* discouraged *because* something set you back, but the phrase itself focuses on the interruption of progress, not your emotional state.

Use it when something unexpected happens that slows you down or stops your progress. It's perfect for discussing project delays, personal setbacks, or any situation where you're behind schedule due to an obstacle.

Yes, 'set back' is quite versatile and works in most contexts. You can use it in professional emails or reports to explain delays, like 'The supplier issue set back the delivery date.'

'Delayed' is a more general term for being late. 'Set back' often implies a more significant hindrance or interruption caused by a specific obstacle or problem, suggesting a reversal of progress.

When the object is a pronoun (me, him, her, it, us, them), it must go between 'set' and 'back'. For example, 'The bad weather set *me* back,' not 'The bad weather set back me.'

With a noun phrase (like 'the project' or 'our plans'), you have a choice. You can put it between 'set' and 'back' ('set the project back') or after 'back' ('set back the project'). Placing it between often sounds more natural.

Certainly. You might say, 'The unexpected regulatory changes set back our expansion plans by six months.' This clearly indicates a significant delay caused by external factors.

A frequent error is confusing 'set back' (delay) with 'set up' (arrange). Another mistake is using it for positive events or minor inconveniences that don't truly hinder progress.

Yes, the noun form is 'setback'. It refers to the event or situation that causes the delay. For example, 'The project faced a major setback due to funding cuts.'

'Set back' implies a delay or a move backward, but progress might eventually resume. 'Stalled' suggests that progress has completely stopped, often implying a more serious or prolonged halt.

It carries a vibe of frustration or disappointment. It acknowledges that things aren't going as planned and there's been an unwelcome interruption, which can be annoying.

Not typically in modern usage. While the literal image might involve moving backward, the phrase almost always refers to abstract progress like projects, plans, or recovery, not physical relocation.

Yes, 'set back' is a phrasal verb. It consists of the verb 'set' and the particle 'back'. Phrasal verbs often have meanings different from their individual words.

It means the delay caused by something lasted for that specific amount of time. For example, 'The storm set us back by two days' means the delay lasted for two days.

'Set back' implies a delay or hindrance, but success might still be possible. 'Thwarted' suggests that something actively prevented success or achievement, often implying a stronger opposition.

Yes, absolutely. A penalty, an injury, or a bad call could 'set back' a team's progress during a game. For example, 'The early goal set the visiting team back.'