phrasal verb 'set back'
Phrasal verbMain meaning
set back
[sɛt bæk]
to delay the progress of something

Other meanings

  • to cost someone a specific amount of money
  • to move something backward (less common)

Example Sentences Using the Phrasal Verb "set back"

  • The storm set back the construction project by several weeks.
  • The unexpected repairs set him back $500.
  • The error set back the team’s progress significantly.
  • The illness set her back at work.
  • The redesign set the launch date back again.

Features of Using "set back"

Separability:Separable Transitivity:Transitive Level:B1 Particle:back

Set back is primarily used about delays — anything that slows progress, schedules, or development. When used with money, it means “to cost” and is usually informal. Since the verb is separable, the object can appear between set and back, especially when it is a pronoun.

Other phrasal verbs with the verb set

setup

set up

to establish or arrange something
set-off

set off

to start a journey
set out

set out

to begin a journey or start an activity with a purpose
set in

set in

to begin and seem likely to continue
set apart

set apart

to make something or someone different, distinctive, or special
set aside

set aside

to save or reserve something for a special purpose