DERAIL Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

derail

verb

di-ˈrāl

Definition of derail

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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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of derail But those plans were derailed on Thursday when Egyptian authorities blocked the ship, the Scarlet Lady, from entering its waters at the last minute, according to Atlantis Events, days after the vessel was refused entry to Turkey. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 11 July 2026 But a sluggish start quickly derailed his round, as bogeys on two of his first three holes dropped him behind the cut line. — Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 It wasn’t meant to be, though, as an injury setback derailed the then-23-year-old’s 2025 season and put his big league dreams on hold. — Fisher Isbell, AJC.com, 11 July 2026 One year, my family’s Yom Kippur break-fast meal was very nearly derailed when my dad got into an argument with one of our guests about the Rosenbergs. — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for derail

Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail

Verb

Roschelle had seemed distracted lately, going to a bunch of doctors’ appointments, talking to Sapphire late at night.

— Jessica Contrera, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
During a recent concert where Graham Nash was speaking his mind about needless wars and his belief that the president started a war with Iran to distract from the Epstein files, someone in the audience yelled out.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026

Definition of distract

Verb

White-footed mice, which do carry the culprit bacteria — charmingly named Borrelia burgdorferi — thrive in areas disturbed by people, according to Ostfeld.

— Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Clear your calendar, put your phone on ‘Do not disturb’ and enjoy.

— The Athletic Soccer Experts, New York Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of disturb

Verb

The tequila shrimp empanadas disappear quickly, while the huitlacoche quesadilla folds Oaxaca cheese, mushrooms, roasted corn, and salsa macha crema into something deeper and earthier than most Midtown menus bother attempting.

— Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
Maybe altering the letters bothered her most because publication inevitably makes the integrity of a letter—the message from writer to recipient—secondary.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026

Definition of bother

Verb

Public polls have shown him with an early lead over Collins, and key Republicans worry about their chances in what was once seen as one of the GOP’s best pickup opportunities.

— Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
Later, Feinmann said his words were not directed at the Mexican people — while musing that Sheinbaum had bigger things to worry about, like combating narco-trafficking, violence and corruption.

— Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of worry

Verb

Plummeting immigration is concerning, since our data suggests that immigration was the biggest contributor to Florida’s growth since 2023.

— Matt Brooks, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Bradač’s proof concerns off-diagonal Ramsey numbers, which allow for large differences between the size of a clique and the size of an independent set.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 15 July 2026

Definition of concern

Verb

There is a versatility to Spain that can embrace the transition and accelerate the game — using the moments of brief chaos to their advantage when the opposition are unsettled.

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Whether the platform becomes an exclusive home for major events or hosts a regular run of them is still unsettled.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of unsettle

Verb

But a leadership vacuum could fracture the Tibetan movement, potentially giving rise to younger, more radical factions that agitate for total independence, perhaps even violently.

— Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026
Washing machines take care of that with their tumbling or agitating action.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 July 2026

Definition of agitate

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deputy

derail

derailed

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“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of derail

verb

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