derail

verb

di-ˈrāl How to pronounce derail (audio)
Definition of derailnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The end of the segment got fully derailed as Sheinelle and Leslie kept joking while Bush Hager tried to segue to an ad break. — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 The lawsuit, filed in Oakland federal court, threatens to derail Paramount CEO David Ellison's bid ​to transform his company ​into a ⁠major rival of Netflix and Disney. — Reuters, USA Today, 20 July 2026 The thought of another dead calf is daunting, and can derail a budget for months. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026 And Johnson’s gambit to attach the SAVE America Act to important legislation risks not only derailing bipartisan policy but another government shutdown, too. — Sorelle Wyckoff Gaynor, The Conversation, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
  1. distract
  2. disturb
  3. bother
  4. worry
  5. alarm
  6. concern
  7. unsettle
  8. agitate
Verb
  • Knight brought both belts into the ring, distracting the referee by throwing the world title in the ring.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • In the context of tens of thousands of DPS students who aren’t making gains quickly enough to ever meet proficiency levels, such fanfare is essentially distracting braggadocio.
    — Elaine Gantz Berman, Denver Post, 27 July 2026
Definition of distract
Verb
  • Out of competition The world of elite sports is taken to disturbing new heights full of brutality and painful ambition in the new film from Nikias Chryssos (The Bunker, Rave On, A Pure Place).
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026
  • When walking down the charming Main Street, you won't be disturbed by honking or traffic since the island has banned cars since 1898.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of disturb
Verb
  • Lowe’s marginal position in Britain doesn’t seem to bother his allies in the United States.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026
  • She couldn’t be bothered to hear half of the testimony about carriage horses.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
Definition of bother
Verb
  • Mint Julep Experiences has built its business around making those trips easy, and the new Buffalo Bus gives travelers a straightforward way to visit one of Kentucky's most famous distilleries without having to worry about logistics.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • What’s more, the property’s Pooch Program offers dog sitters and walkers (for a fee) as part of its concierge service, so pet parents can enjoy everything the iconic hotel has to offer without worrying about what to do with their pup.
    — Rebecca R. Norris, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Here’s what should alarm anyone who cares about process, not just outcomes.
    — A.J. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2026
  • The incident has alarmed the world, but perhaps no one more so than AI safety experts who have warning about these kinds of dangers for years and urging companies and governments to adopt more safeguards.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 25 July 2026
Definition of alarm
Verb
  • According to the complaint, Grigsby attempted to tell Martinez that concerns about a defense attorney’s performance should be directed to supervisors rather than discussed in open court.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026
  • These remarks come after HeatWorld reported that the sisters have been concerned about their safety, with tensions rising after Eugenie was recently heckled by a man making comments about her father in March.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 July 2026
Definition of concern
Verb
  • Neighbors who live near the site described being unsettled by the police shooting taking place in their community park where children play.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • The locations for those fights, which have been linked to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Texas and Florida, are allegedly unsettled.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of unsettle
Verb
  • He was agitated by failures to land first-choice replacements for the second summer running.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • Wynn said the alligator started to get agitated and even opened its mouth and hissed at her.
    — Steven Yablonski, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Definition of agitate

Browse Nearby Words

deputy
derail
derailed
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Cite this Entry

“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of derail for Spanish Speakers

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