The phrase "a massive setback in" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant obstacle or hindrance in a particular situation or process.
Example: "The unexpected loss of funding resulted in a massive setback in the project's timeline."
Alternatives: "a significant obstacle in" or "a major hindrance in".
The surprising strength of Hezbollah's resistance, and its continuing ability to fire rockets into northern Israel in the face of the constant Israeli bombing, the Middle East expert told me, "is a massive setback for those in the White House who want to use force in Iran.
Salford's hopes of a top eight finish in Super League suffered a massive setback as Widnes ran in eight tries in an emphatic win.
Jonathon Porritt, the Government's top environmental adviser, said that a Johnson victory would be "a massive setback" – and, once in office, the new Mayor seemed to justify the warning.
In a massive setback for the gay rights movement, 52.5 per cent of the electorate backed Proposition 8, a ballot measure that adds to the state constitution the words: "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognised in California".
If, however, they had visions of posting a defendable total and then throttling England they received a massive setback at the start of their innings.
On Wednesday, the United States Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision in favor of Aereo, dealing a massive setback to consumers.
In the response, Aereo calls this decision a "massive setback for the American consumer".
For Ireland, it was a massive setback after winning the qualifying tournament and coming out on top in their two games against Zimbabwe and the UAE.
And Brown, who beat O'Sullivan by a single point in the able-bodied National Series Championships recently, is being supported in her appeal by Archery GB. "It's a massive setback for her - she's won the Paralympics twice before and she gets funding as a Paralympic archer so without that classification she won't get that funding any more".
Marois announced her resignation on Monday night, with which Quebec's separatist movement was handed a massive setback.
