one step forward, two back
one step forward, two back
Marked by a small amount progress that is then eradicated by a large amount of setbacks, problems, or difficulties. So many administrative hurdles have been thrown up along the way that this whole project has been one step forward, two back ever since we began!
See also: back, one, step, two
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- one step forward, two steps back
- one step forward and two steps back
- if that
- as many as
- as many as...
- in the order of (some amount)
- in/of the order of
- of the order of (some amount)
- budget dust
- amount to