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
Drexel visited her father in 2019 – and she, too, was prevented from leaving China for 11 months, derailing her plans to attend law school.
—
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
The sighting came days before Woods, 49, tore his Achilles tendon, derailing his plans of playing at the Masters in April.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
The Texans’ defense draws the task of derailing Mac Jones, who has posted a 4-1 record while completing 67 percent of his passes for six touchdowns and four interceptions while starting in place of an injured Brock Purdy.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Big rail projects can have a way of derailing due to politics, budgets, and geography.
—Chelsea Haney
october 25, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2025
Chinese leaders may decide to continue dialing up tensions, perhaps even derailing the talks and reigniting the spring’s tit-for-tat tariff war.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Closures and travel delays are derailing photo shoots, engagements, elopements and weddings.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
Gonzalez missed nearly his entire rookie season before being named an All-Pro in 2024, and the thought of a lingering hamstring injury derailing his season would be a major blow to New England.
—Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Many outdoorsy folks will happily slog for hours toward outdoor fun, despite the fact that any number of adventure derailing smackdowns await us.
—Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2025
Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
The sighting came days before Woods, 49, tore his Achilles tendon, derailing his plans of playing at the Masters in April.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
The Texans’ defense draws the task of derailing Mac Jones, who has posted a 4-1 record while completing 67 percent of his passes for six touchdowns and four interceptions while starting in place of an injured Brock Purdy.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Big rail projects can have a way of derailing due to politics, budgets, and geography.
—Chelsea Haney
october 25, New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2025
Chinese leaders may decide to continue dialing up tensions, perhaps even derailing the talks and reigniting the spring’s tit-for-tat tariff war.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Closures and travel delays are derailing photo shoots, engagements, elopements and weddings.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
Gonzalez missed nearly his entire rookie season before being named an All-Pro in 2024, and the thought of a lingering hamstring injury derailing his season would be a major blow to New England.
—Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Many outdoorsy folks will happily slog for hours toward outdoor fun, despite the fact that any number of adventure derailing smackdowns await us.
—Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailing
Verb
-
If something’s bothering you, say so.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Saft, not bothering to remove his sneakers, leaped onto a chair to place an ornate gold mirror over the mantelpiece.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Karbler notes that Bigelow resisted that depiction for fear of distracting from the emotional moment.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Surprisingly, the injury helped him in this regard by distracting him from overanalyzing his game.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The 34-year-old appeared to have deactivated her X account after disturbing posts on her account resurfaced online.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
There was also disturbing evidence that violence had occurred there.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Britney Spears returned to Instagram on Saturday, less than a week after the singer deactivated her account following a series of concerning posts on the social media site.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The Central Valley Flood Protection Board approved work concerning the lower American River this year.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This isn’t in itself alarming in the moment, though such a narrow market often works against the duration of an advance.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
29 Oct. 2025
-
In a city home to the world’s largest Jewish population outside Israel, Mamdani’s message has struck sharply different chords, galvanizing left-leaning activists while alarming many Jewish voters who view his words as inflammatory.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Despite some investors worrying about an AI bubble, the gusher of data center spending has not relented, supporting our thesis in Cisco.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
9 Nov. 2025
-
This movie was when many started worrying.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Trump’s tariffs have backfired in numerous ways, including by angering US farmers – a key voting bloc – and creating a rare-earth shortage.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Following physical and emotional abuse, Lafferty became an anxious child who was constantly afraid of angering adults around her.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Sook and other local TV execs have been agitating for the FCC to eliminate the cap, though such a move is likely to require Congressional action.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Marchand built his reputation as an agitating, scrappy forward who knows how to get under the opponent’s skin while also producing on the scoresheet and was named captain ahead of the 2023-24 season, succeeding Patrice Bergeron for the role.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailing. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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