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
Fun plans with friends could get derailed by questions of budget, and this isn’t something to sweep under the rug.
—
Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2026
The proposal was ultimately derailed by a combination of political turnover and a lawsuit.
—Terry Nguyen, ARTnews.com, 10 Apr. 2026
In Los Angeles, where the Lakers’ season was recently derailed by injuries to Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), the team surged in the second half largely because of Luka’s brilliance.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
An ankle injury in that season debut against the Florida Gators derailed that.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Chambliss has been in college for five seasons, but injuries derailed two of those.
—Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 8 Apr. 2026
That March 30 performance felt even more special because it was almost derailed by the late-night theft of 16 of the Ashland High School band’s instruments, stolen from a trailer in a hotel parking lot.
—Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Ashcraft had impressed until an injury derailed his spring.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
The plan was to turn it into a thriving space and science center, but those plans were soon derailed.
—New Atlas, 3 Apr. 2026
Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2026
The proposal was ultimately derailed by a combination of political turnover and a lawsuit.
—Terry Nguyen, ARTnews.com, 10 Apr. 2026
In Los Angeles, where the Lakers’ season was recently derailed by injuries to Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), the team surged in the second half largely because of Luka’s brilliance.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
An ankle injury in that season debut against the Florida Gators derailed that.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Chambliss has been in college for five seasons, but injuries derailed two of those.
—Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 8 Apr. 2026
That March 30 performance felt even more special because it was almost derailed by the late-night theft of 16 of the Ashland High School band’s instruments, stolen from a trailer in a hotel parking lot.
—Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
Ashcraft had impressed until an injury derailed his spring.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
The plan was to turn it into a thriving space and science center, but those plans were soon derailed.
—New Atlas, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailed
Verb
-
Woods was far more comfortable with telling officers he was distracted versus possibly impaired.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Black, naturally, also sings a verse about forgetting the wise words of a man in the Tibetan mountains because he was distracted by a terse text from his wife.—
Rima Parikh,
Vulture,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On the other hand, upright Acrocarpous-type mosses are more likely to be disturbed by foot traffic, but their growth habit gives them plenty of visual appeal.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The deputy checked the vehicle but found nothing had been disturbed or stolen.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The conflict has alarmed the international community, particularly as the area is one where other militant organizations, including al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, still have a presence in the region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
In a message from True Religion to Saba following the incident, the brand said the report was filed due to Saba’s unauthorized entry to the offices by impersonating as a delivery person and his initial refusal to leave, which alarmed the brand’s staff.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Heat’s third matchup of the season against the Raptors didn’t go well either, as Toronto’s length on the defensive end again bothered Miami.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Some voters were bothered by Turning Point's involvement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, content moderator Margot (Barbie Ferreira) grows concerned and starts looking into the content, starting up a deadly cat-and-mouse game.—
William Earl,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The uncertainty over the closure of more than 500 schools is creating headaches for parents concerned about finding child care or scrapping test prep.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Child care was something that his parents had worried about after arriving from the Dominican Republic.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Lawyers for police officers reported numerous calls from clients worried their personnel and medical records were exposed, raising the prospect of more costly litigation.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While Decurion may be operating within its rights as owner of the property, its secretive and mysterious business practices have increasingly angered film fans concerned about the future of moviegoing in the city.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Netanyahu angered Trump earlier in the war by attacking Iranian oil and gas facilities; but Netanyahu then pivoted to Iranian infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities.—
Daniel Kurtzer,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Whereas Phoebe lacks inhibitions, Valerie is plagued by them, and the contrasting sitcom formats of Friends (multi-cam) and The Comeback (mockumentary) call for totally different performance styles.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Lack of depth also plagued — a contrast from last year, when the four-line threat was huge.—
Greg Cote
April 6,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailed. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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