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
Paramount has taken a tender offer directly to WBD shareholders in an attempt to derail the Netflix agreement.
—
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
The eviction drama became a flashpoint in the ongoing conversation about how Hollywood discards its icons, especially those whose careers were derailed by addiction, health issues and the slow evaporation of studio offers.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
The Spanish midfielder, now 21 and no longer the new kid on the block, has seen his career derailed by injuries and is now working through another rehabilitation programme after suffering a setback following surgery over the summer.
—Gregg Evans, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Misinformation derails a solution for misinformation One example of false narratives having an impact was the fate of something called Senate Bill 549, says Julia Stein, deputy director for the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA School of Law.
—Julia Simon, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
The eviction drama became a flashpoint in the ongoing conversation about how Hollywood discards its icons, especially those whose careers were derailed by addiction, health issues and the slow evaporation of studio offers.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
The Spanish midfielder, now 21 and no longer the new kid on the block, has seen his career derailed by injuries and is now working through another rehabilitation programme after suffering a setback following surgery over the summer.
—Gregg Evans, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Misinformation derails a solution for misinformation One example of false narratives having an impact was the fate of something called Senate Bill 549, says Julia Stein, deputy director for the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA School of Law.
—Julia Simon, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
Verb
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The goal was to ensure the makeup didn’t distract the audience but rather felt invisible.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
10 Jan. 2026
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Even the most emotionally invested of us can get distracted.—
Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rose tells Shaw that her community is concerned about sacred remains being disturbed.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
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The 34-year-old appeared to have deactivated her X account after disturbing posts on her account resurfaced online.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Take a seat on an icy throne—the cold never bothered you anyway.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
9 Jan. 2026
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Don’t bother wasting your money—using it more than once a day won’t yield ‘better’ or faster results.—
Ali Pantony,
Glamour,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Paster is not worried in the slightest.—
Alice Newbold,
Vogue,
12 Jan. 2026
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The proposal is a concern for many council members, who worry that such an amendment, if approved, could jeopardize their positions.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The images alarmed many onlookers, watchdogs and people whose photos had been manipulated, and there was a sustained pushback on X leading up to the change.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
9 Jan. 2026
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That the administration appears unconcerned by this fact should alarm everyone else.—
Jon Duffy,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Orpin did not respond to follow-up questions concerning the fate of the cidery's canning and retail sales operations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
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Other concerning signs include constipation, feeling cold all the time, lightheadedness or fainting, and missing periods in girls.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Still, even as much as Sweeney loves jeans, maybe she was unsettled by the outsize reaction to her ad promoting them.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
4 Nov. 2025
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There was something else unsettling about them.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Because he was getting agitated by the role.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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Sook and other local TV execs have been agitating for the FCC to eliminate the cap, though such a move is likely to require Congressional action.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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