derail

1 of 2

verb

de·​rail di-ˈrāl 

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 employee.

—Joanne Gordon

intransitive verb

: to leave the rails

derailment

di-ˈrāl-mənt 

dē-

noun

derailment

2 of 2

noun

de·​rail·​ment də̇ˈrā(ə)lmənt 

dēˈ-

plural -s

: an act or instance of derailing or being derailed : derailed state

Synonyms of derail

Verb

• distract
• disturb
• bother
• worry
• alarm
• concern
• unsettle
• agitate
• anger

Examples of derail in a Sentence

Verb

The train derailed in heavy snow.

The train was derailed by heavy snow.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The story of how the major knee injury derailed his career is a reminder of how quickly things can change in the NFL and how short the shelf life of even the most gifted running back can be. — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Police are directing traffic and the Grand Prairie hazmat unit is on the scene after at least 10 railcars derailed in Mansfield on Thursday evening, officials said. — S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

That said, don’t let your aspirations for your career’s future derail you from its present. — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

If Richardson could no longer coach, the parents feared, all of that might be derailed. — Molly Hensley-Clancy, ProPublica, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Noun

French déraillement, from dérailler + -ment

First Known Use

Verb

1850, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for derail

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• detail
• dovetail
• email
• entail

Kids Definition

derail

verb

de·​rail di-ˈrā(ə)l 

: to cause to run off the rails

a train derailed by heavy snow

derailment

-mənt 

noun