See our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.
Definition, Scrabble score, anagrams & word-game reference
Yes. SETBACK is a valid Scrabble word in the UnscrambleTools dictionary (7 letters, 15 base points). It is suitable for casual Scrabble, Words with Friends practice, and anagram study; official tournament lists (NASPA/WESPA) may differ slightly.
Part of speech: noun
slow down the progress of; hinder; "His late start set him back"
reverse, reversal, blow, black eye, knock back, put back
Source: Princeton WordNet 3.1
SETBACK scores 15 points before board multipliers.
Letter counts: A×1, B×1, C×1, E×1, K×1, S×1, T×1
SETBACK is a 7-letter answer slot candidate. Filter by length 7, starts with S, ends with K, or contains letters from your crossing entries in the Crossword Solver and Pattern Finder.
Example: "SETBACK — slow down the progress of; hinder; "His late start set him back"" (15 Scrabble points).
SETBACK is listed in the UnscrambleTools word-game dictionary used across our unscrambler, anagram, pattern, and scoring tools. Pages like this one exist so you can answer "Is SETBACK a Scrabble word?" with data — not guesswork — before you play a tile or fill a crossword slot.
SETBACK (noun): an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating. Additional senses: slow down the progress of; hinder; "His late start set him back"; cost a certain amount; "My daughter's wedding set me back $20,000".
In standard Scrabble scoring, SETBACK totals 15 points before multipliers. That sum uses official letter values: common tiles (A, E, I, O, U, L, N, S, T, R) are worth 1, while D and G are 2, B, C, M, P are 3, F, H, V, W, Y are 4, K is 5, J and X are 8, and Q and Z are 10. SETBACK relies mostly on common tiles, which often makes it easier to play from a mixed rack but caps the raw ceiling compared with high-premium words.
SETBACK is 7 letters long, begins with S, ends with K, and sorts to the alphagram ABCEKST. There is 1 anagram in this dictionary sharing that exact letter bag. Letter makeup: 2 vowels, 5 consonants.
Among 18 tracked 7-letter entries, SETBACK ranks by raw score (15 points). Anagram alternatives include BACKSET — useful when you need the same tiles with a different hook letter. Similar-length words in the same dictionary include PIZZAZZ, ZYZZYVA, JAZZBOW, JAZZILY; open their word pages to compare endings, vowel weight, and crossover potential.
Strategically, SETBACK carries 2 vowels and 5 consonants. Its consonant-heavy shape pairs well with open vowel dumps on the board. Hooks on S or K are common study angles; browse words starting with S and words ending with K to rehearse parallel sets.
SETBACK is a 7-letter answer slot candidate. Filter by length 7, starts with S, ends with K, or contains letters from your crossing entries in the Crossword Solver and Pattern Finder. For American-style grids, 7-letter entries like SETBACK frequently cross shorter words; knowing that SETBACK contains A, B, C, E, K, S, T helps you test crossing letters quickly. When you only know a few cells, open the Crossword Solver with a pattern such as s?????k to narrow candidates before checking definitions.
Notable letter pairs inside SETBACK include CK, AC, BA — each links to a "contains" list for deeper drilling. Unique letters used: S, E, T, B, A, C, K. Letter-frequency tables on this site are built from the same dictionary that powers the Word Unscrambler, so list pages and word pages stay consistent.
Use UnscrambleTools tools together: unscramble setback directly in the Word Unscrambler, rehearse rearrangements in the Anagram Solver, filter crossword slots in the Pattern Finder, and verify 15 points in the Scrabble Score Calculator. Daily puzzle hints and Wordle practice pages share the same dictionary backbone, which keeps scores and validity aligned across the site.
Etymology: UnscrambleTools does not publish a full historical etymology for every rare word-game entry. When we detect recognizable English prefixes or suffixes, we note them in the definition section; otherwise treat SETBACK as a playable vocabulary item for puzzles and study.
Example usage: Example: "SETBACK — slow down the progress of; hinder; "His late start set him back"" (15 Scrabble points). If you are validating a tournament list, cross-check NASPA or WESPA references — our dictionary optimizes for practical word-game coverage, including obscure but legal entries that appear in casual Scrabble and crossword construction.