as in bothering
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 derailing
But Beijing has claimed a partial victory, by derailing Washington’s initial plans to acquire CK Hutchison’s global port holdings outright, Goujon said.
—
Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Tough lessons for the Mavericks to learn while completely derailing their franchise’s trajectory.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
As a practical matter, the owner being targeted to pay higher monthly assessments will likely oppose paying more, thus derailing the initiative to revise its unit percentage.
—Howard Dakoff, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Nearly 60% of workers in Kickresume’s survey said difficult coworkers significantly undermine their productivity, whether that’s by derailing their focus, wasting time, or forcing them to overthink every interaction.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
That means what seems like a harmless purchase today could be viewed as a fraudulent transaction tomorrow, and could even end up derailing your filing or landing you in legal trouble.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Cal Coast then filed a lawsuit accusing SDCCU of intentionally derailing the merger without a valid cause.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
Putin told Trump of his decision in a call Monday, according to the Kremlin, even as Kyiv cast the Russian allegations as a fabrication aimed at derailing the peace process.
—Kate Sullivan, Bloomberg, 29 Dec. 2025
The truth is, most trip-derailing problems are entirely preventable with a bit of forethought and the right guidance.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Tough lessons for the Mavericks to learn while completely derailing their franchise’s trajectory.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
As a practical matter, the owner being targeted to pay higher monthly assessments will likely oppose paying more, thus derailing the initiative to revise its unit percentage.
—Howard Dakoff, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Nearly 60% of workers in Kickresume’s survey said difficult coworkers significantly undermine their productivity, whether that’s by derailing their focus, wasting time, or forcing them to overthink every interaction.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
That means what seems like a harmless purchase today could be viewed as a fraudulent transaction tomorrow, and could even end up derailing your filing or landing you in legal trouble.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
Cal Coast then filed a lawsuit accusing SDCCU of intentionally derailing the merger without a valid cause.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
Putin told Trump of his decision in a call Monday, according to the Kremlin, even as Kyiv cast the Russian allegations as a fabrication aimed at derailing the peace process.
—Kate Sullivan, Bloomberg, 29 Dec. 2025
The truth is, most trip-derailing problems are entirely preventable with a bit of forethought and the right guidance.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 29 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailing
Verb
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One Florida resident reportedly hired a local mover without bothering to determine if the company was licensed, only to run into a boatload of trouble.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
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If your knee is bothering you, for instance, the vibration might distract your brain enough for the pain to temporarily retreat.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Still, critics say the controversy risks distracting from preparations for the Games and eroding public confidence in the organizing committee.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Picture frame backsplashes are outdated and visually distracting, tied to early 2000s.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Managing the genetic health of such a small population is essential for the species’ long-term viability, and the hair-collection method offers a noninvasive way to gather vital data without disturbing the wombats in their burrows.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The killings shocked the community, as did Caneiro's trial, which laid out disturbing details of betrayal and violence within the family.—
Christine Sloan,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The mood today was more tenuous, the industry crowd mulling in the lobby with cocktails, discussing the tail end of awards season and the controversy coming out of the Berlin Film Festival concerning politically cautious juror statements.—
Film Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
-
In addition, two related proposals would exempt records concerning the decision to designate groups as terrorist organizations from public disclosure.—
Annie Martin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Recently, something new appeared on the landscape, alarming wildlife advocates like Christina Aiello.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
After her husband took her pets out of the room, Bloor then faced the even more delicate task of safely removing herself from the bed without alarming the snake.—
Phil Boucher,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Instead of worrying about ratings, the new late-night creators are directly beholden to their viewers.—
Joy Press,
Vanity Fair,
19 Feb. 2026
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But Joe Garcia, a Democratic former congressman from Miami, said that stance could backfire as Cuban Americans begin worrying about their relatives on the island.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But when the new terminal opened, the historic plane did not make the move, angering aviation enthusiasts.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
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What’s more, all that accomplishes is annoying and angering the driver who is being tailgated.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The dollar rallied, even though Warsh has been agitating for more rate cuts, which tend to undermine the dollar’s value.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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This is why experts recommend vacuuming in different directions and thoroughly agitating the carpet piles.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailing. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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