derail

verb

de·​rail di-ˈrāl How to pronounce derail (audio)
dē-
derailed; derailing; derails

transitive verb

1
: to cause to run off the rails
2
a
: to obstruct the progress of : frustrate
security problems derailed the tour
b
: to upset the stability or composure of
divorce … can seriously derail an employeeJoanne Gordon

intransitive verb

: to leave the rails
derailment noun

Examples of derail in a Sentence

The train derailed in heavy snow. The train was derailed by heavy snow.
Recent Examples on the Web Named for the bookkeeper who kept the correspondence, the Mulligan letters derailed Blaine’s nomination and haunted him for the rest of his career. Robert B. Mitchell / Made By History, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024 At the civic center, a birthday party was derailed Saturday when floodwaters began pouring onto the dance floor. Walter Berry and Susan Montoya Bryan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 The other day, in Madison Square Park, Gadsby was derailed mid-thought by the sound of a passerby rustling a paper bag. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 Its ascent was derailed a bit in recent years as fragrance lovers became fixated on all things gourmand— vanilla scents, to be specific. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for derail 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'derail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French dérailler to throw off the track, from dé- de- + rail, from English

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of derail was in 1850

Dictionary Entries Near derail

Cite this Entry

“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derail. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

derail

verb
de·​rail di-ˈrā(ə)l How to pronounce derail (audio)
: to cause to run off the rails
a train derailed by heavy snow
derailment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on derail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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