DERAILED Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

derailed

verb

past tense of derail

as in distracted

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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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 derailed Thereby hangs Colloff’s spellbinding tale of a justice system derailed by biases. — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026 As per Linked In, the former soccer player at the University of Richmond ended up transferring to the University of Miami when a shoulder injury derailed her path in sports. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026 After being so brutally and unfortunately derailed, the album doesn’t really recover. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026 The burning husks of large trucks transporting fuel and derailed train cars were filmed and photographed by civilians and Ukrainian military drones, highlighting supply chain disruptions. — Marc Santora, New York Times, 4 July 2026 The summer’s political bestseller portrays him as a figure whose transformative potential has been utterly derailed by hubris. — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 3 July 2026 Last week, more than a dozen empty coal cars derailed on a bridge over the Grant Calumet River in East Chicago, Indiana. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 July 2026 In the latest installment of The Deadliest Drug, STAT’s Isabella Cueto and Lev Facher break down exactly how Trump officials have derailed alcohol research and prevention. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 June 2026 The injury, a torn anterior cruciate ligament, not only derailed a possible title run that season, but also upended the Trojans’ trajectory for the next one. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailed

Verb

But Lucky distracted us in hospital waiting rooms, gave us something to talk about other than the too-painful conversational alternative.

— Marissa Stapley, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Employees need clarity and space to do their jobs without being distracted by unnecessary information.

— Anna Jankowska, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of distracted

Verb

The problem Databento is solving has bothered anyone who has ever tried to get institutional-grade market data.

— Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 9 July 2026
There was a stretch of my adolescence, sometime in the early 2000s, when I was quietly convinced my life was a television show and no one had bothered to tell me.

— Alli Kushner, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of bothered

Verb

The turnout that many were concerned had also been hurt by high ticket prices ended up being better than those first projections.

— Lily Wright, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
But, as far as New Mexico’s place on the primary calendar was concerned, the committee member had a different idea.

— Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 10 July 2026

Definition of concerned

Verb

Even if the bond was granted, Wilber worried his family wouldn’t have the funds to pay his bail, which can cost thousands of dollars.

— Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
During the Revolutionary War, General Washington worried that British troops were stockpiling weapons and ammunition in the fort and preparing to attack northern colonies.

— Lane Degregory, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2026

Definition of worried

Verb

They also have been angered by Kennedy’s attempts to link vaccines to autism, going against decades of research that show no such link, and his framing of autism as a debilitating disease.

— Annie Ma, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
They've also been angered by Kennedy's attempts to link vaccines to autism, going against decades of research that show no such link, and his framing of autism as a debilitating disease.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026

Definition of angered

Verb

Aside from the peeling of the waterproof coating, the reflecting pool has been plagued by an algae bloom, a persistent problem due to Washington’s high heat during the summer and the pool’s shallow depth, which creates an ideal biological incubator.

— Philip Wang, Time, 6 July 2026
Now fully healthy after knee injuries plagued his rookie season, Thiero’s versatility in summer league could potentially translate to regular-season minutes.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of plagued

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“Derailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailed. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of derailed

verb

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