derailed; derailing; derails
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 employee.—
Joanne Gordon
Joanne Gordon
: to leave the rails
Synonyms of derail
Examples of derail in a Sentence
The train derailed in heavy snow.
The train was derailed by heavy snow.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet Senate Democrats have promised to derail its passage ahead of a Friday shutdown deadline unless the DHS portion is renegotiated.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 28 Jan. 2026
Debt collectors can still sue for debts that fall within the statute of limitations and unpaid collection debt can derail mortgage or rental applications, even if your score is otherwise solid.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Looking ahead, Wewel sounded a note of caution on the current spike, suggesting that silver's risk/return balance could falter if the current momentum derails.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
The Democratic defections threaten to derail passage of a broad spending package that also includes funding for the State Department and the Pentagon, as well as education, health, labor and transportation agencies.
—Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
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David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 28 Jan. 2026
Debt collectors can still sue for debts that fall within the statute of limitations and unpaid collection debt can derail mortgage or rental applications, even if your score is otherwise solid.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Looking ahead, Wewel sounded a note of caution on the current spike, suggesting that silver's risk/return balance could falter if the current momentum derails.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
The Democratic defections threaten to derail passage of a broad spending package that also includes funding for the State Department and the Pentagon, as well as education, health, labor and transportation agencies.
—Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derail. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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