as in to distract
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 derail
This opposition threatens to derail the tax legislation, which Trump was hoping to see passed before the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
5 Hours Ago
S&P 500 snaps 6-day win streak
The S&P 500 snapped a six-day winning streak on Tuesday.
—
Lisa Kailai Han,jesse Pound, CNBC, 19 May 2025
What to know about Venezuelan gang targeted by Donald Trump
The issue has ascended to the U.S. Supreme Court, as opponents of the policy attempt to derail the president's use of the law, calling it unconstitutional.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 18 May 2025
Eventually, the rest of the cars derail, killing the last person onboard.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 18 May 2025
However, the issues that derailed the fair in 2022, 2023 and 2024 remain problematic, primarily relating to clean-up, insurance and the use of county resources.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Lisa Kailai Han,jesse Pound, CNBC, 19 May 2025
What to know about Venezuelan gang targeted by Donald Trump
The issue has ascended to the U.S. Supreme Court, as opponents of the policy attempt to derail the president's use of the law, calling it unconstitutional.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 18 May 2025
Eventually, the rest of the cars derail, killing the last person onboard.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 18 May 2025
However, the issues that derailed the fair in 2022, 2023 and 2024 remain problematic, primarily relating to clean-up, insurance and the use of county resources.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
Verb
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Critics suggested that Johnson timed the announcement to distract from the fact that he’d just been fined for attending a party in defiance of his own COVID restrictions, though the policy had been months in the making.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
16 May 2025
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There is no reason for this subpoena other than to distract from the facts of the case and impose undue burden and expense on a non-party.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Beaches aren’t typically hotspots for these kinds of fossils unless something is disturbing the seafloor nearby and carrying the remains to shore.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
-
Solar flares can disturb Earth's ionosphere, for instance, briefly disrupting high-frequency radio signals and leading to brief radio blackouts on the daylit side of the planet during the flare event.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
22 May 2025
Verb
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That doesn’t mean the implication doesn’t bother him.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
-
Or Xander Schauffele, the defending PGA champion who is surely not bothered by the lack of attention on him early this week.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Given the historical biases in hiring practices, many job seekers worry that AI might perpetuate or even amplify these biases.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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In 1956, a survey of over 2,000 professors showed that 61% had been contacted by the FBI; 40% worried that students might misrepresent their politics; and about a quarter would not express their views for fear of the government.—
Time,
Time,
20 May 2025
Verb
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Democrats and some Republicans are also alarmed over the ethics of accepting such an expensive gift from a foreign country.—
Jeremy Bogaisky,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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The rapid expansion of the Camp House Fire, Jenkins Creek Fire and Munger Shaw Fire has alarmed officials.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
Verb
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This was not the first time school officials had been concerned with the boy’s behavior.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
15 May 2025
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All of these trends are concerning for a soon-to-be-32-year-old pitcher in the second season of a seven-year, $172 million contract.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
Verb
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They, too, have been unsettled by Mr. Trump’s tariff offensive, his dismissal of allies as freeloaders, and his reluctance to support Ukraine.—
Ned Temko,
Christian Science Monitor,
15 May 2025
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Inexplicably, Kohli was unsettled by the dismissal of young opener Jaiswal and poked at one to nick behind.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Verb
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Some Israeli officials have agitated for Israel to rebuild Jewish settlements in the enclave, but Mr. Netanyahu has rebuffed the prospect for now.—
Samuel Granados,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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Moderate and battleground-district Republicans are pushing back on threats to Medicaid, while conservatives and budget hawks are agitating for deeper cuts.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
5 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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