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View synonyms for setback
setback
[ set-bak ]
noun
- a check to progress; a reverse or defeat:
The new law was a setback.
- Architecture. a recession of the upper part of a building from the building line, as to lighten the structure or to permit a desired amount of light and air to reach ground level at the foot of the building.
- an act or instance of setting back:
A nightly setback of your home thermostats can save a great deal of fuel.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of setback1
First recorded in 1665–75; noun use of verb phrase set back
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