Phrase guide

square one

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The place where one begins; a lack of progress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, no-plural

Examples

  • We discovered that our first idea would never work, so we were back to square one.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the situation in which you begin an endeavor and to which you return if your efforts fail

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the police are now back at square one after having arrested and released 27 men
  • she has tried to diet but always ends up back at square one

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: situation, state of affairs

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: lähtöruutu — the place where one begins
  • French: case départ — the place where one begins
  • Hungarian: kiindulópont — the place where one begins
  • Hungarian: startvonal — the place where one begins
  • Hungarian: kályha — the place where one begins
  • Hungarian: ahol a part szakad — the place where one begins
  • Polish: początek — the place where one begins
  • Polish: punkt wyjścia — the place where one begins
  • Portuguese: estaca zero — the place where one begins
  • Spanish: casilla de salida — the place where one begins
  • Spanish: redil — the place where one begins