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
Earlier Thursday, the court heard from two sisters in a statement read by the oldest, who said her bright future was derailed thanks to O'Connor, along with her identity and sense of self.
—
Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Injuries have derailed Heat seasons (Terry Rozier, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Norman Powell).
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 28 May 2026
The odds reflect a belief that Guardiola’s departure will not suddenly derail City’s ability to compete at the highest level.
—Dean Jones, New York Times, 28 May 2026
That finding cuts against the common fear that an adult gap year will permanently derail a career.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Injuries have derailed Heat seasons (Terry Rozier, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Norman Powell).
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 28 May 2026
The odds reflect a belief that Guardiola’s departure will not suddenly derail City’s ability to compete at the highest level.
—Dean Jones, New York Times, 28 May 2026
That finding cuts against the common fear that an adult gap year will permanently derail a career.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
Verb
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The opening salvo of the assault is intended to distract the Russians and permit four other robots to get behind enemy lines.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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Meanwhile, Johnson insisted to reporters in Chicago that his international excursion will not distract him from the pressing issues back home, including the final week of Springfield’s legislative session.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Verb
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The zoo says that the facility would be about 50 yards from some of its animals and that the noise could disturb its residents, including a leap of leopards that hail originally from Southeast Asia.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
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The lawsuit filed Thursday by Karen Read against Massachusetts State Police and Canton Police revealed a long history of disturbing text messages between former police officers Michael Proctor and Sean Goode that allegedly included racial slurs, sexist comments and other offensive material.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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This was a club that embraced African players before much of Europe bothered to scout the continent seriously.—
Zohran Mamdani,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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In my dream world where Emmys voters bother to watch Bait, Khan is a shoo-in.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Helen worried about Pip’s socialization.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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The results will ease the concerns of some Democrats who worried about the possibility of a runoff between Kiley and Republican candidate Michael Stansfield, who was in second place until Friday.—
Mathew Miranda
June 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has alarmed global public health experts over the ferocity of the spread in the remote and heavily populated region.—
Jane Weaver,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
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At a moment when surveillance technologies are increasingly weaponized against our communities, Albany’s latest proposal should alarm every New Yorker.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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As far as Fleur is concerned, nothing and nobody else compares to the stack of paper in her hands.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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For buyers concerned about range anxiety, the results offer a practical benchmark that often proves more useful than manufacturer specifications alone.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
9 June 2026
Verb
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In a country to which some came for religious freedom and others were brought to be sold into slavery, the ship unsettled me.—
Kevin West,
Travel + Leisure,
9 June 2026
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The borrowing is heavily long-dated, reflecting the multi-decade life the companies assign to their data centers, which loads more interest-rate sensitivity onto buyers at a time when the direction of rates is unsettled.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Immerse your berries in the water and gently agitate them.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
7 June 2026
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And yet—there is also the Ginsberg who went to Cuba in 1965 to agitate for gay liberation against the homophobic Castro regime, where despite the poet’s own (kind of) Marxism he was expelled.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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