English Meaning & Definitions
To experience a delay, reversal, or obstacle that hinders progress toward a goal or recovery.
- “The project suffered a setback when the lead engineer resigned unexpectedly.”
- “Despite his rigorous training, he suffered a setback in his recovery after reinjuring his knee.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “suffer a setback”.
The verb 'suffer' derives from the Latin 'sufferre' (to bear, endure), while 'setback' emerged in the early 17th century as a compound of 'set' and 'back,' originally referring to a receding part of a wall or building. By the 19th century, the term evolved metaphorically to describe a check or defeat in progress, implying that one's forward momentum has been 'set back' to an earlier position.
Imagine a runner who is about to win a race but is suddenly 'set' back to the starting line; they are suffering a setback.
Frequently Asked Questions About “suffer a setback”
1. What is the meaning of “suffer a setback” in English?
In English, suffer a setback (idiom) is defined as: “To experience a delay, reversal, or obstacle that hinders progress toward a goal or recovery.”.
2. How do you use “suffer a setback” in a sentence?
“The project suffered a setback when the lead engineer resigned unexpectedly.”
3. What are English synonyms of “suffer a setback”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “suffer a setback”?
The verb 'suffer' derives from the Latin 'sufferre' (to bear, endure), while 'setback' emerged in the early 17th century as a compound of 'set' and 'back,' originally referring to a receding part of a wall or building. By the 19th century, the term evolved metaphorically to describe a check or defeat in progress, implying that one's forward momentum has been 'set back' to an earlier position.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.