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
Charmast Portable Charger with Built-in Cables Travelers know that nothing derails a trip faster than a dead phone battery.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
But in a comprehensive report given to city of San Diego officials just before Thanksgiving, MTS officials said looming deficits of more than $120 million per year could derail this progress with service cuts and fare hikes.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
On the other, dealing with diarrhea or frequent trips to the bathroom can derail your work and interrupt your daily routines.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025
On the platform, the woman shared how a casual restaurant visit with friends turned unexpectedly tense after a simple attempt to take a photo of her food derailed the evening.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
But in a comprehensive report given to city of San Diego officials just before Thanksgiving, MTS officials said looming deficits of more than $120 million per year could derail this progress with service cuts and fare hikes.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
On the other, dealing with diarrhea or frequent trips to the bathroom can derail your work and interrupt your daily routines.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025
On the platform, the woman shared how a casual restaurant visit with friends turned unexpectedly tense after a simple attempt to take a photo of her food derailed the evening.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derail. Accessed 4 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share