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

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 derailed But his career has been derailed by multiple back and knee surgeries, car accidents and pain pill dependence. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 Madrigal will play Dan, James’ divorced best friend whose plans for single life are derailed by James and Jeanie’s impulsive wedding. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026 Next year’s Superman follow-up Man of Tomorrow hopes to avoid whatever lingering DC baggage and other factors derailed Supergirl. — Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Yet last week, California managed to pull it off — navigating the public backlash that has derailed and limited efforts by other Western states. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 The usually cordial relationship between Washington and Ottawa has soured considerably in recent weeks, with trade talks derailed and the neighbors now levying multi-billion-dollar tariffs against one another. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 But a slew of injuries, a turbulent relationship with his coach and off-field incidents derailed what was once a promising career, and he was ultimately released by his final team, the Cleveland Browns, in 2014. — Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 Perhaps there is no hungrier team than the Broncos, whose 14-3 2025 season was derailed when quarterback Bo Nix was injured in the playoffs, forcing a backup to start the AFC championship game. — Nbc Sports, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026 Max Meyer is still sidelined with a neck strain that has derailed the second half of his All-Star season. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailed
  1. distracted
  2. disturbed
  3. alarmed
  4. bothered
  5. concerned
  6. worried
  7. angered
  8. plagued
Verb
  • The long seven-month offseason has been filled with congressional legislation, eligibility lawsuits, CFP expansion and plenty of other storylines that have distracted from the product on the field.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • You’re not distracted by the clients waiting behind you or the sense that someone is watching and waiting for your chair to open up.
    — Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of distracted
Verb
  • As a parent who has purchased my share of scary Halloween costumes, I was particularly disturbed by the controversy now engulfing Target.
    — Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2026
  • If disturbed, asbestos’ microscopic crystalline fibers get into the air, where they can be inhaled, cause lung scarring and lead to fatal cancers.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Verb
  • In New Jersey, the op-ed authors were alarmed by the bond’s staggering price and the impact that would have on the state.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Such military cooperation has alarmed Israel, which is increasingly distrustful of Turkey’s intentions in the region.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of alarmed
Verb
  • But Covid-19 layoffs aside, the San Francisco company hasn’t bothered to tidy up along the way, its chief executive says.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Never even bothered to deny any of the accusations that would eventually lead to Wednesday’s stunning NBA ruling against the LA Clippers in this landmark salary cap circumvention case.
    — Sam Amick, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of bothered
Verb
  • During a performance, Hankerson said he was concerned watching as his mom, who’s been performing for 75 years, fumbled through the set.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Some of that work instead has fallen on journalists, activists and others concerned that anyone with access to the company’s private camera networks can follow virtually any driver's movements with a query as effortless as a Google search.
    — Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of concerned
Verb
  • Despite this baggage, the economic report her new organization drafted has concerned lawmakers worried about affordability.
    — Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • On Monday, Facebook posts about the Morris Barn in downtown Matthews began to circulate, with many residents worried the barn was falling into disrepair.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of worried
Verb
  • That will make affordable tickets more difficult to find, especially as the tournament reports registering record-breaking visits, and already has angered fans and some players.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • That angered Michigan Democrats who were frustrated with El-Sayed, and brought Jeffries and other Democrats into the fray, putting the candidate El-Sayed had invested the most in on the defensive.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of angered
Verb
  • Garbage’s set was plagued by technical difficulties, but singer Shirley Manson kept her cool, joking that this was just the kind of thing the band was used to.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The research team identified opportunities to improve the atomic layer etching (ALE) approach, which offers significant advantages over the conventional methods but was plagued by difficulties for practical use.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of plagued

Browse Nearby Words

derail
derailed
derailing
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Cite this Entry

“Derailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailed. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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