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
Still, there’s always the risk that something unexpected comes along to derail the market rebound.
—
Jesse Pound, CNBC, 25 June 2025
The Enderlin tornado derailed a dozen empty tanker cars, while another derailment of grain cars was reported in Traill County, between Fargo and Grand Forks.
—Andrew Krueger, Twin Cities, 23 June 2025
One of her biggest challenges came in 2021, when an injury suffered while playing for West Ham threatened to derail Leon’s Olympic dreams.
—Fernando Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2025
Her career was definitely derailed by her hand injury.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Jesse Pound, CNBC, 25 June 2025
The Enderlin tornado derailed a dozen empty tanker cars, while another derailment of grain cars was reported in Traill County, between Fargo and Grand Forks.
—Andrew Krueger, Twin Cities, 23 June 2025
One of her biggest challenges came in 2021, when an injury suffered while playing for West Ham threatened to derail Leon’s Olympic dreams.
—Fernando Ramirez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2025
Her career was definitely derailed by her hand injury.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
Verb
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Shepherding that split to reality will leave WBD leadership distracted for a year, Martin estimated.—
David Bloom,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
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Cho, as the perceptive and generous Jin, distracted from his own family troubles by the sudden flashes of Casey’s bright light, is wise and rejuvenated; disinterested admiration makes this man, who looks to be in his forties, nearly a teen-ager again.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Many more are disturbed by the politicization of churches and turned off by dogmas that promote hate and discord, finding religious teachings and traditions to be outdated and incompatible with their values.—
James Bickerton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
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Later, her sister-in-law texts her, upset that her children were disturbed by her departure.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Also on this episode: With Emmy nomination voting ending on Monday, the Roundtable takes one more look at the major categories, how the number of submissions has changed some of the competition and who didn’t bother to join in.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
20 June 2025
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Orban said in February that organisers should not even bother organizing Pride in Budapest this year.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
Verb
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Concerns about student overuse and misuse are still prevalent: About half of teachers worry that student use of AI will decrease teens’ ability to think critically and independently or to have persistence when problem solving, according to the study.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
25 June 2025
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After studies had linked chronic exposure to high levels of mercury found in fish and whale blubber to developmental delays, scientists began to worry about the element’s effects on the young brain.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
25 June 2025
Verb
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The man, wearing a black polo and slacks, looked up from a table saw, alarmed.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
21 June 2025
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The potential downside of glucose monitoring is that people who are (perhaps needlessly) alarmed by their CGM data will swap out healthy carbs such as fruit and whole grains for foods that are less healthy—butter, for example, or bacon and red meat.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2025
Verb
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As far as improving from the status quo is concerned, this is the best provision in the bill.—
The Editors,
National Review,
20 June 2025
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But there is often a tradeoff between civil liberties and crime prevention and, where minors are concerned, protection must come first.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
Verb
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There, Mac takes on a role between Puck and Prospero, donning a joker’s cap to jokingly-and-not unsettle your expectations of how a play should end.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
13 June 2025
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Trump’s actions unsettled Democratic governors throughout the country and local officials in the Bay Area.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
9 June 2025
Verb
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The kid is flunking out of private school, has spearheaded a dozen or more extracurricular clubs, agitates to have Latin added to the curriculum, and directs a remarkably detailed stage production of Serpico.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
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Dragon boat racing was said to begin after villagers agitated the water and paddled to try to save him or prevent his body from being eaten by fish, according to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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