as in to distract
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
according to police, the suspect had been derailed in recent months by mounting financial problems
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Recent Examples of derail
The past — which includes a back injury that derailed his first big league season and a broken wrist in the second — has somewhat clouded Carter’s once-top prospect status.
—
Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026
Law and order—derailed by paperwork.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Lowe is one of many players in Angels camp who is trying to return to form after getting derailed by injuries.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
The precipitation triggered a string of flash floods that swept away bridges and cars and even derailed a train.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026
Law and order—derailed by paperwork.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
Lowe is one of many players in Angels camp who is trying to return to form after getting derailed by injuries.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
The precipitation triggered a string of flash floods that swept away bridges and cars and even derailed a train.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
Verb
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But the table is so congested that putting any kind of winning run together could make a real difference while the teams above them are distracted by European commitments.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Now that citizens can stare dumbfounded into the same distracting bright lights (and gambling gateways) via ever-present screens, the whole of the United States has essentially transformed into the hellscape once confined to Nevada’s southern tip.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Mist the soil instead of overhead watering, which can disturb the seeds.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
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Managing the genetic health of such a small population is essential for the species’ long-term viability, and the hair-collection method offers a noninvasive way to gather vital data without disturbing the wombats in their burrows.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The man himself might have argued forcefully that the one didn’t prove the other, that many Muslims in his hometown never bothered to circumcise their children.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
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But only part of that really bothered the Florida Department of Health about Sidney Moritz, once known as Sandy Montano.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Anyone worried about corporate takeover was put at ease from day one.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
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The crowded field has some Democrats worried about the possibility of both Hilton and Bianco making it into the runoff, shutting out the party that has controlled the Governor’s Office since 2011 if Democrats split the vote.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The boys did not wield weapons or threaten anyone, but their brash and rowdy behavior alarmed some of the other passengers.—
Michael Bobelian,
Washington Post,
18 Feb. 2026
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An Indian colleague was alarmed by the praise for colonialism.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Even before revelations about the emails, there were tensions between Wasserman and some Los Angeles politicians concerned that financial shortfalls in staging the $7-billion Summer Games will need to be covered by local taxpayers.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
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Turns out, his son was concerned for the safety of his classmates from Guatemala and Cambodia.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There’s a heaviness in the room, a balance between mourning and bittersweet joy that everyone’s hesitant to unsettle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
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Three decades ago, Garry Kasparov sat across from IBM’s Deep Blue and discovered that even the most cerebral of games could be unsettled by silicon.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Avoid getting agitated over something too unimportant to matter.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
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Use your hands to agitate the soapy water through the garment.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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