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
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
Eyewitnesses reported seeing one of the railway’s two cars derailing and careening down the street before hitting a building.
—Angélica Franganillo Díaz, CNN Money, 21 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
Rather than enhancing diplomacy, the operation risked derailing talks and escalating conflict.
—Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
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
Eyewitnesses reported seeing one of the railway’s two cars derailing and careening down the street before hitting a building.
—Angélica Franganillo Díaz, CNN Money, 21 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
Rather than enhancing diplomacy, the operation risked derailing talks and escalating conflict.
—Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailing
Verb
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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
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Talk through what’s bothering you to gain a compassionate perspective.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In Season 4, Eddie played a key role in distracting Vecna’s (Jamie Campbell Bower) Demobats as the rest of the gang launched an attack on the Upside Down stronghold of Creel House.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
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Because many designs in the 1970s focused on open-concept designs, noise in the previous building could be distracting for classes, and teachers had made makeshift walls using bookshelves in an attempt to keep noise out, Bookhout said.—
Imani Cruzen,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Conventional cleanup techniques often worsen the problem by disturbing soil structures and consuming large amounts of energy.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
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There is trash and pollutants from the tourists and gravel has been mined from the area to make trekking routes for people, disturbing the places where females may have laid their eggs, researchers said.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The employee replied that Green didn't mention suicide by cop specifically, but noted his comments remained concerning.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Occasional use of those protein powders isn’t as concerning as a person making protein shakes three times a day.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Browning has thrown eight interceptions in four starts, which was alarming enough for the Bengals to make a move.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
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But also alarming is that government officials don’t seem to take seriously the need to justify the reasons for their use of force, which should only be wielded to protect the rights of Americans.—
Agustina Vergara Cid,
Oc Register,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This allows Ukrainian soldiers to conduct bold exploratory missions deep into the territory now controlled by Russia while not worrying about losing their Starlink signal.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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Is there a health issue that's worrying you?—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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The new program, Train SMART, also risks angering a network of grassroots chapters and gun violence prevention volunteers at Everytown.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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What is the best way to investigate a spirit without agitating it?—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailing. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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