one step forward, two steps back

noun

A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

“We got all the roofing removed, but the chimney was damaged and we discovered that some rafters had to be replaced. One step forward, two steps back. Or maybe three.”

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noun
  1. idiomaticA situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments.

    We got all the roofing removed, but the chimney was damaged and we discovered that some rafters had to be replaced. One step forward, two steps back. Or maybe three.

Origin

Derived from the idiom "two steps forward, one step back", which originates with an anecdote about a frog in a well.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

one step forward, two steps back. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/one%20step%20forward%2C%20two%20steps%20back

MLA

“one step forward, two steps back.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/one%20step%20forward%2C%20two%20steps%20back. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “one step forward, two steps back,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/one%20step%20forward%2C%20two%20steps%20back.

Source: one step forward, two steps back on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.