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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Recent Examples of derailed
State lawmakers have stepped back from earlier, wider-ranging attempts to regulate AI that were vetoed or otherwise derailed by governors who viewed the measures as too onerous toward the industry’s development, including efforts to hold developers accountable for bias in AI systems.
—
Marc Levy, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026
To play without a superstar like Pulisic could have derailed previous American teams in World Cup play.
—Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
While Trout sounded optimistic about his chances of playing outfield in the upcoming All-Star game in Philadelphia, the latest injury setback might have derailed those plans.
—Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Playing without a talent like Pulisic could have derailed previous American World Cup teams.
—Andrew Destin, Fortune, 20 June 2026
Wood’s career was derailed by injuries, leading to worries of hard throwers being susceptible to blowing out pitching arms.
—ABC News, 18 June 2026
Lindy Ruff’s system was a tough fit, and a nasty ankle injury derailed his initial momentum in upstate New York.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
But his career in England was derailed by serious injuries.
—Cameron Lancaster, New York Times, 17 June 2026
An eye injury derailed his career as a slugging catcher at UConn.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2026
Marc Levy, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026
To play without a superstar like Pulisic could have derailed previous American teams in World Cup play.
—Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
While Trout sounded optimistic about his chances of playing outfield in the upcoming All-Star game in Philadelphia, the latest injury setback might have derailed those plans.
—Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Playing without a talent like Pulisic could have derailed previous American World Cup teams.
—Andrew Destin, Fortune, 20 June 2026
Wood’s career was derailed by injuries, leading to worries of hard throwers being susceptible to blowing out pitching arms.
—ABC News, 18 June 2026
Lindy Ruff’s system was a tough fit, and a nasty ankle injury derailed his initial momentum in upstate New York.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
But his career in England was derailed by serious injuries.
—Cameron Lancaster, New York Times, 17 June 2026
An eye injury derailed his career as a slugging catcher at UConn.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailed
Verb
-
Keys got distracted by Sikoa and Knight took control.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Items Made of Quality Materials Stephanie Wells recommends not getting distracted by looking for a particular type of item while thrifting but instead keeping your eyes open to a number of quality materials.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Use these pots for transplanting seedlings that don’t like having their roots disturbed.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
-
Nothing seemed out of place or disturbed.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Reflect Orbital’s plans also alarmed the Royal Astronomical Society, which said each beam could be four times brighter than the full moon, with the overall system potentially making the night sky three to four times brighter.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
The Lebanese government was alarmed by Israeli troops crossing its Litani River last month.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Even if he’s never bothered to pause and consider it.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
-
In some cases, these kinds of candidates have not even bothered to vote, let alone hold public office.—
Garry South,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The hearing on 18 June 2026 concerned Hussain’s application for summary judgment under CPR 24.—
Susie Violet Ward,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
Step 1 — Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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But local opposition has been rising too, with communities worried about the power and water demands of the centers, as well as any potential health effects.—
Asia Alexander,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
People who worried that recycling or reselling a device would compromise their data were 14% and 9% more likely to store it instead.—
Eric Williams,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
In 2022, a prominent former member of the national team was arrested for allegedly protesting against the country’s leadership, and star striker Sardar Azmoun wasn’t selected for the World Cup squad this year, reportedly because of a social media post that angered authorities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
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The four leaders have also angered Trump by criticizing how he’s gone about executing the war and his lack of consultation with allies before jumping into a conflict that’s hurt the global economy as oil prices have surged.—
Aamer Madhani,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
This past offseason was a nightmare filled with mistakes, and the season has been plagued by one injury after another.—
Jim Bowden,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
The charming little burg is plagued by a perplexing dead body problem.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailed. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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