Encountered setbacks

USAGE SUMMARY

"encountered setbacks" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something has faced obstacles or has experienced challenges. Example: He encountered several setbacks in his career, but he never gave up.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

But Villas-Boas said that Parker had encountered setbacks and was yet to return to training.

The Guardian - Sport

Although the company encountered setbacks in almost all of its business lines, its earnings beat analyst estimates.

The New York Times

His ambitious rehabilitation schedule encountered setbacks in spring training, and now he will most likely rest for four to eight weeks before restarting any baseball activities.

The New York Times - Sports

Lewis's legal campaign has encountered setbacks on other fronts: in April, 2014, the public prosecutor of Bahrain dismissed AHAB's complaint against Sanea, because the Gosaibis had failed to produce purported loan-book victims in court.

The New Yorker

Previous will-they-won't-they moments have always encountered setbacks, be it a near-fatal sting from a virus-carrying bee or the discovery by Scully that the Mulder she'd had her eye on was in fact a shape shifter (don't ask).

The Guardian

In 1373, as Ming forces encountered setbacks, Hongwu put more emphasis on defence and adopted Hua Yunlong's suggestion to establish garrisons at 130 passes and other strategic points in the Beijing area.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Both the directed and the directionless, Ms. Walters insisted, would encounter setbacks along the way.

The New York Times

Yoga teaches the women to control their breathing, which calms the nervous system and in turn calms the mind – a valuable skill off the mat, when at the Home Office or encountering setbacks in their day-to-day lives.

The Guardian

In reality, nearly all scientists encounter setbacks, singularities that disturb the local time-career continuum.

Science Magazine

Finally, to see whether the garden activities provided a venue for students to build their persistence and capacity to bounce back when encountering setbacks, students' science teachers reported on each student's capacity to re-engage in the face of day-to-day academic challenges.

International Journal of STEM Education

After encountering setback in the quest to fabricate solid-state nanopore using simple methods, some researchers returned to using energetic particles to fabricate nanopore in small areas with controllable structure [20, 42].

Nanoscale Research Letters

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To highlight resilience, follow up mentioning how the setbacks were overcome. Example: 'Despite the setbacks encountered, the team persevered'.

Common error

Avoid using "encountered setbacks" for trivial issues. This phrase is best reserved for significant obstacles that genuinely impede progress. For minor issues, consider terms like "inconveniences" or "minor delays".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "encountered setbacks" functions as a verb phrase, typically used as the predicate of a sentence. It describes the action of facing difficulties or obstacles. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is suitable for use in written English. For example, "His ambitious rehabilitation schedule encountered setbacks in spring training".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

33%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "encountered setbacks" is a grammatically correct verb phrase used to describe the experience of facing difficulties or obstacles. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While not as common as other similar phrases, it's suitable for neutral to formal contexts, particularly in news and media, as well as in scientific and general writing. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects the significance of the obstacles and consider alternatives like "faced obstacles" or "experienced difficulties" for slightly different nuances. Avoid overusing it for minor inconveniences to maintain its impact and appropriate register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Faced obstacles

Focuses on the active confrontation with difficulties.

Experienced difficulties

Highlights the personal experience of hardship.

Met with challenges

Emphasizes the act of facing demanding situations.

Suffered reverses

Highlights negative turn of events or a defeat in a project.

Underwent trials

Stresses the endurance of a difficult process or ordeal.

Had complications

Focuses more on intricacy of the problems that occurred.

Ran into trouble

Suggests accidental or unexpected problems.

Hit roadblocks

Emphasizes obstructions preventing progress.

Landed in crisis

Suggests entering a critical or unstable situation.

Stumbled upon hurdles

It's about accidentally finding obstacles.

FAQs

How can I use "encountered setbacks" in a sentence?

You can use "encountered setbacks" to describe a situation where someone or something faced difficulties or obstacles. For example: "The project "encountered setbacks" due to unforeseen circumstances".

What are some alternatives to "encountered setbacks"?

Some alternatives to "encountered setbacks" include "faced obstacles", "experienced difficulties", or "met with challenges". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "encountered a setback" or "encountered setbacks"?

Use "encountered a setback" when referring to a single obstacle. Use "encountered setbacks" when referring to multiple obstacles or a series of difficulties.

What's the difference between "encountered setbacks" and "experienced failures"?

"Encountered setbacks" suggests temporary obstacles or delays, while "experienced failures" implies a more significant and potentially irreversible lack of success. Setbacks can be overcome, while failures may indicate a need for a different approach.