SETTING BACK Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

setting back

verb

present participle of set back

as in holding back

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for setting back

Verb

But it hadn't been spotted in Lake Superior, leading researchers to speculate that water temperatures or other factors were holding back its spread there.

— Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 3 July 2026
What is holding back Europe’s rearmament push Building the capacity Europe needs to ensure strategic autonomy has proved difficult.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 1 July 2026

Definition of holding back

Verb

While consumers and retail companies have been holding up surprisingly well through a world of trouble — from war to inflation to political uncertainty — the fashion industry is still vulnerable to shocks on Wall Street.

— Evan Clark, Footwear News, 8 July 2026
Moore reposted the photo on X showing the young fan excitedly holding up his new merch.

— Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026

Definition of holding up

Verb

While delaying benefits is typically optimal, a hypothetical 22% cut by 2033 significantly shifts optimal claiming ages for many single individuals, potentially encouraging earlier filing, but often not for married couples.

— Steve Vernon, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Some workers were granted exemptions, and a handful of departments were delaying implementation of the governor’s mandate.

— Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of delaying

Verb

Landa worked with the Association to get the original project approved in 2017 after holding over 30 public meetings.

— Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
And moviegoers turned out to indies from Rosemead to The Chronology of Water, All That’s Left Of You and more, new and holding over, limited, wide and top ten.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2026

Definition of holding over

Verb

The community response team was named in honor of an Antioch man who died in December 2020, after experiencing a medical emergency while Antioch officers were detaining him during a mental health crisis.

— Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
Local officials said police continued to search the home after detaining Ciarre and then found Nateal dead, according to Fox 5.

— Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026

Definition of detaining

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setting at

setting back

setting by

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“Setting back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/setting%20back. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of setting back

verb

Example Sentences

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