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
Doug Barron of Memphis came out blazing in the morning, making birdie on his first four holes until a bogey at the par-3 5th derailed him.
—
Arkansas Online, 25 Oct. 2025
But her holiday plans are hilariously derailed when her ex-husband Everett (Hudson) unexpectedly introduces his younger and successful new girlfriend.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
After an injury derailed his MLB dreams, Bloom turned to investing, asking rich people in his circle for professional advice.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
The consequences are playing out in real time, as political candidates, appointees, and activists have witnessed campaigns affected, nominations derailed, and futures transformed.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2025
Of all of those great players listed above, a handful were derailed by injury.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2025
And in his posthumous memoir, The Bigger Picture, Oscar-winning producer Jon Landau is reflecting on some of the many stories that nearly derailed the blockbuster both on and off set.
—Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
After all the cooking, cleaning, and planning that goes into entertaining, no host wants their night derailed by a guest who doesn’t know when to arrive, or when to leave.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
Deal volumes and values have now caught up to the cheery vibes that some advisors were feeling earlier this year, before Liberation Day momentarily derailed them.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Arkansas Online, 25 Oct. 2025
But her holiday plans are hilariously derailed when her ex-husband Everett (Hudson) unexpectedly introduces his younger and successful new girlfriend.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
After an injury derailed his MLB dreams, Bloom turned to investing, asking rich people in his circle for professional advice.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2025
The consequences are playing out in real time, as political candidates, appointees, and activists have witnessed campaigns affected, nominations derailed, and futures transformed.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2025
Of all of those great players listed above, a handful were derailed by injury.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2025
And in his posthumous memoir, The Bigger Picture, Oscar-winning producer Jon Landau is reflecting on some of the many stories that nearly derailed the blockbuster both on and off set.
—Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
After all the cooking, cleaning, and planning that goes into entertaining, no host wants their night derailed by a guest who doesn’t know when to arrive, or when to leave.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
Deal volumes and values have now caught up to the cheery vibes that some advisors were feeling earlier this year, before Liberation Day momentarily derailed them.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailed
Verb
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Several reasons were to blame for the scary-low turnout, including a dearth of new releases as well as the misfortune of Halloween landing on a Friday, which meant families were distracted by trick-or-treating.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
2 Nov. 2025
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Once written, the script’s fantastic promise distracted its readers from the fatal holes in its plot.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The whales' communication can be disturbed by underwater noise made by humans, and the interference often deters them from certain crucial areas, like breeding and feeding locations.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
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For instance, Bella's first meeting with Edward in their biology class is supposed to be this unnerving moment, where Bella is disturbed by Edward's apparent repulsion toward her.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kim has steered South Korea's northern neighbor closer to Russia and embarked on a large-scale military buildup that has alarmed Seoul and Tokyo.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
-
This 32-foot-tall sculpture with flaming red eyes has alarmed travelers for decades, but the story of its creation is even more chilling.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Trier noticed that some directors said hello to him, whereas others couldn’t be bothered.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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Still, the simplicity wasn’t what bothered him.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
1 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While travelers nationwide panic about the potential of flight delays and cancellations, airlines are not widely concerned.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Nov. 2025
-
But such contests typically are a referendum on the party that controls the White House, giving the GOP reason to be concerned.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
And the company’s rich valuation has stoked skepticism among some investors worried about an AI bubble.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Heading into last offseason, the Guardians worried about the state of their starting pitching.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And that angered the most important voters in New Jersey, Martha, the independents.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Nov. 2025
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That loss of sales has already angered many Midwestern soybean farmers, who see the administration’s Argentina outreach as benefiting a competitor while leaving American exporters disadvantaged.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The idea that a leak of any kind must be coming from one of the cast members is something that has plagued many a Housewives season.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
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Daylilies are sometimes plagued by pests like thrips, slugs, aphids, Japanese beetles, and spider mites.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailed. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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