setback with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'setback with' is not a correct and usable phrase in written English. You would use a phrase such as 'faced with a setback', 'suffered a setback', or 'experienced a setback'. For example: The company experienced a setback when their request to build a new office space was denied.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Mr Badawi accepted the setback with grace.

The Economist

Bagehot watched Mr Cameron handle the grim setback with assurance.

The Economist

Still, she handled the setback with admirable sangfroid.

The Guardian - Sport

His biggest setback with the company occurred when he injured his knee in 2007.

The New York Times - Arts

"I am cautious with him because we cannot afford a setback with him," said Wenger.

Independent

Losing out on the deal would be a setback with important de- rating risk.

The Guardian - Business

But he had a recent setback with a strained right hamstring.

The New York Times - Sports

Zaragoza's dim chances of remaining in the first division were handed another setback with a 1-1 tie against Osasuna.

The New York Times - Sports

Mr Zhou may have suffered a political setback with the purge of his ally, Mr Bo, in Chongqing.

The Economist

Granderson has been a major disappointment, and Nick Johnson, out since May, has had yet another setback with his wrist.

The New York Times - Sports

"I have no doubt that we will overcome this setback with the same degree of rigor and application," he said.

The New York Times - Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "setback with". Instead, use grammatically correct alternatives such as "suffered a setback", "experienced a setback", or "faced a setback" for clearer and more professional writing.

Common error

A common mistake is following "setback" with the preposition "with". The correct preposition to use after "setback" is often "for" or no preposition at all, depending on the context. For example, "a setback for the project" is correct.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "setback with" functions incorrectly as it does not adhere to standard English grammar rules. As Ludwig AI points out, a more appropriate phrasing involves verbs such as 'suffer', 'experience', or 'face' followed by 'a setback'. Ludwig examples confirm that similar expressions are used instead.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

21%

Sport

15%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "setback with" appears frequently, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. Standard English requires phrases such as "suffered a setback", "experienced a setback", or "faced a setback". Although commonly found in News & Media sources, its incorrectness makes it unsuitable for formal contexts. To ensure clarity and professionalism, it is recommended to use grammatically sound alternatives to convey the intended meaning of encountering a problem or obstacle. The phrase's persistent incorrect usage suggests the need for careful attention to grammatical accuracy when writing or speaking.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

suffered a setback

Replaces the preposition "with" to create a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase.

experienced a setback

Substitutes "suffered" with "experienced", which offers a less negative connotation while maintaining grammatical correctness.

faced a setback

Uses "faced" instead of "suffered", focusing on confrontation of difficulty rather than its infliction.

encountered a setback

Emphasizes the unexpected nature of the setback, suggesting it was met during a process.

had a reverse

Utilizes "reverse" to denote the act of going backward. This alternative is less literal than the others and implies a more profound disruption.

met with a reverse

Uses the verb "met" to denote a passive encounter with an issue/matter. This alternative is less literal than the others and implies a more profound disruption.

had a problem

Simplifies the idea to a general issue without specific details about a regression.

had difficulty

Replaces the idea of a setback with a more general sense of struggling or encountering issues.

ran into trouble

Uses a colloquial expression to indicate an unexpected issue, less formal than "setback".

stumbled upon a problem

Focuses on the unintentional discovery of an issue during a process.

FAQs

What's the correct way to use "setback" in a sentence?

The word "setback" should be used with verbs like "suffer", "experience", or "face". For example, "The project suffered a setback" is grammatically correct.

What can I say instead of "setback with"?

Instead of "setback with", you can use alternatives like "suffered a setback", "experienced a setback", or "faced a setback" depending on the context.

Is "setback with" grammatically correct?

No, "setback with" is not grammatically correct. The correct usage involves phrases like "suffered a setback", "faced with a setback", or "experienced a setback".

How does "suffered a setback" differ from "faced a setback"?

"Suffered a setback" implies that the subject was negatively affected by the setback, while "faced a setback" suggests that the subject confronted the difficulty directly. The emphasis shifts from impact to response.