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
While in use for thousands of years by Indigenous Mesoamerican communities, modern study of therapeutic psilocybin use began in the 1950s but didn’t last long before being derailed by political and cultural pushback starting around the 1960s.
—
Natalia V. Osipova, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Oblique issues on the other side derailed his last two seasons after his 2023 breakout.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
The Sacramento Kings have seen it all while dealing with an endless series of injuries that derailed their season from the start.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
That marked the latest in a string of major injuries that have derailed Woods’ stellar golf career.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
According to Bonds, the potential deal was derailed by an ultimatum from owner George Steinbrenner, who died in 2010.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
This dynamic is taken to extreme, surreal heights in Kobo Abe’s Woman in the Dunes, about a man whose idyll is derailed entirely.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Sarepta, which laid off more than one-third of its workforce last year after multiple patient deaths derailed its top-selling gene therapy for muscular dystrophy, has staked its future on a pipeline of unproven treatments for related conditions.
—Damian Garde, STAT, 25 Mar. 2026
Last year, the legendary singer’s health scare derailed his tour and forced him off the stage.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Natalia V. Osipova, CNN Money, 28 Mar. 2026
Oblique issues on the other side derailed his last two seasons after his 2023 breakout.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
The Sacramento Kings have seen it all while dealing with an endless series of injuries that derailed their season from the start.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
That marked the latest in a string of major injuries that have derailed Woods’ stellar golf career.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
According to Bonds, the potential deal was derailed by an ultimatum from owner George Steinbrenner, who died in 2010.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
This dynamic is taken to extreme, surreal heights in Kobo Abe’s Woman in the Dunes, about a man whose idyll is derailed entirely.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Sarepta, which laid off more than one-third of its workforce last year after multiple patient deaths derailed its top-selling gene therapy for muscular dystrophy, has staked its future on a pipeline of unproven treatments for related conditions.
—Damian Garde, STAT, 25 Mar. 2026
Last year, the legendary singer’s health scare derailed his tour and forced him off the stage.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailed
Verb
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Its glare-free screen also helps keep reflections away so you won't be distracted.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Symptoms can include being easily distracted, difficulty keeping track of time and impulsivity.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Indiana Dunes National Park Superintendent Jason Taylor had previously announced the decision to truck the sand from the site and said no natural habitat would be disturbed.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Your sleep was disturbed, and in a big way.—
Laura Kiniry,
Popular Science,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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 and have been trying to resurface.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Unsurpringly, this has alarmed some in the Pentagon who are now scrambling to find ways to increase production or find ways to replenish stock.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Despite being bothered by his elbow throughout the 2025 campaign, Rodón enjoyed his best season with the Yankees last year.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Other birds won’t be bothered, but the crows will stay away for a long time.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tale as old as time, as far as the MPA is concerned.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Bonke will likely be a top priority as far as player retention is concerned, followed by leading scorer Ben Bradford.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some lawmakers worried the change wouldn’t actually help Idahoans purchase homes.—
Mark Dee
March 28,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Some immigrant advocates worried that there was no mechanism to verify that the information posted on the application was real.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The first major nationwide protests against the Islamic regime began in June 2009, with demonstrators angered by the fraudulent presidential election.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
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He was angered by the deaths and the damage to infrastructure and military capacities.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But as these researchers are the first to admit, the difficulty of defining intelligence is as old as the study of thinking itself—and has plagued artificial intelligence as a field from its very earliest days.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
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The broader transportation program was also plagued with allegations of fraud in 2023 -- shortly after HCPF, relying on an apparently faulty analysis, recommended a significant increase in reimbursement rates in that service.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailed. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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