grave setback

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "grave setback" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant or serious obstacle or hindrance to progress in a situation or project. Example: "The unexpected loss of funding resulted in a grave setback for the research team, delaying their project by several months."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Losing him because of this would be a grave setback and I hope it will be unnecessary.

The Guardian

The triumph of democracy and tolerance in Iraq, in Afghanistan and beyond would be a grave setback for international terrorism.

The New York Times

France could scarcely afford to its security was too tightly bound to Russia's but France's policy of wooing Italy out of the Triple Alliance was a grave setback, not for Germany but for Austria-Hungary.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But the settlement of October 1465 was a grave setback for the king, whose brother Charles gained title to Normandy while Charles the Bold, soon to inherit Burgundy, acquired strategic counties and towns in Artois.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Had Bain & Company collapsed, insiders say, it would have dealt a grave setback to Bain Capital, where Romney went on to build a personal fortune valued at as much as $250 million.

The New Yorker

The outcome seems a grave setback to hopes for a solution to the looming international crisis over Iran's nuclear ambitions and for détente with the US in response to Barack Obama's overtures.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

In short -- as documented at length in my book Reagan at Reykjavik -- he set strategic goals on where he wanted to take superpower relations and nuclear weapons; figured out a pathway of how to get from here to there; trusted the leadership team around him; stayed the course during harsh opposition and grave setbacks; and managed to turn such setbacks into strategic breakthroughs.

Huffington Post

Mr President, Guatemala, home to an ancient culture, is a country that has, again and again, suffered grave setbacks.

EU Parlament

Make no mistake about it, this is the gravest setback to Portugal's two-year-old bail-out programme - and there have been quite a few of them over the past several months, including legal ones.

The Guardian - Business

The Bay Bridge has also suffered other, graver, setbacks along the way.

The New York Times

Whether or not North Korea seeks to negotiate with Washington along these lines, its acknowledgment of a nuclear weapons program has inflicted faster and far graver setbacks than the missing persons issue with Japan.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "grave setback", ensure the context reflects a serious negative event that significantly hinders progress. Avoid using it for minor inconveniences.

Common error

Avoid using "grave setback" in casual conversation or informal writing. Its formal tone can sound overly dramatic in everyday situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "grave setback" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object or subject complement in a sentence. It identifies a significant obstacle or negative event that impedes progress. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Encyclopedias

13%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "grave setback" is a noun phrase used to describe a serious negative event that significantly hinders progress. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability, primarily in formal contexts like News & Media, Encyclopedias and Science. While not a common phrase, it effectively communicates the severity and impact of a setback. When considering alternatives, "serious impediment" or "major reversal" can serve as suitable substitutes depending on the nuance you want to convey. Avoid overuse in informal settings to maintain its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

serious impediment

Replaces "setback" with "impediment", focusing on the hindering aspect, and "grave" with "serious", softening the intensity.

major reversal

Substitutes "setback" with "reversal", highlighting a change in direction, and "grave" with "major", indicating significant scale.

significant hurdle

Replaces "setback" with "hurdle", implying an obstacle to overcome, and "grave" with "significant", maintaining the importance.

critical obstacle

Uses "obstacle" instead of "setback" and "critical" to emphasize the importance of the obstacle.

severe drawback

Replaces "setback" with "drawback", focusing on the negative aspect, and "grave" with "severe", indicating intensity.

substantial difficulty

Shifts the focus from a specific event to a general state of difficulty, using "substantial" instead of "grave".

considerable disadvantage

Focuses on the resulting disadvantage, using "considerable" to convey the significance instead of "grave".

major complication

Replaces "setback" with "complication", emphasizing the complex nature of the problem and replaces "grave" with "major".

significant problem

Generalizes the situation to a "problem", using "significant" to indicate importance instead of "grave".

serious challenge

Presents the "setback" as a "challenge", using "serious" to maintain the level of concern conveyed by "grave".

FAQs

How to use "grave setback" in a sentence?

Use "grave setback" to describe a serious negative event that significantly delays or hinders progress. For example, "The project suffered a grave setback when the lead researcher resigned."

What can I say instead of "grave setback"?

You can use alternatives like "serious impediment", "major reversal", or "significant hurdle" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "grave setback" or "serious setback"?

Both "grave setback" and "serious setback" are correct, but "grave" implies a higher degree of severity than "serious". Use "grave" when the setback has particularly severe consequences.

What's the difference between "grave setback" and "minor setback"?

"Grave setback" indicates a significant negative event with lasting consequences, while "minor setback" refers to a small, temporary delay or inconvenience. The former has a more substantial impact than the latter.