What Does "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back" Mean?
"One step forward, two steps back" is an English idiom describing a situation where progress is slow or difficult because every advancement is followed by a setback.Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "one step forward, two steps back" used in a sentence:- Despite their efforts to improve the project, it often feels like they're taking one step forward and two steps back.
- The political negotiations seemed to be making progress, but the recent dispute has caused a one-step-forward, two-steps-back situation.
- In his personal development journey, he encountered challenges that made it seem like he was taking one step forward and two steps back.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
A Quick Test
You now know what "one step forward, two steps back" means, but are you good at English idioms? Let's see!
Gold
Silver
Bronze
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
