as in distracts
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 derails
His relationship with his young son is profoundly altered by an unexpected encounter that derails his work and his sense of purpose.
—
Alexandra Zagalsky, TheWeek, 4 Mar. 2026
Looking ahead, Wewel sounded a note of caution on the current spike, suggesting that silver's risk/return balance could falter if the current momentum derails.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Just as Rome anchored a vast empire, character development anchors our understanding of why bright‑side leadership derails and why dark‑side leadership endures.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Per the logline, Geonhwa is an exceptionally adept and seasoned dealer who has lived a life far removed from the vices of the casino floor, who finds her life upended when a housing scam derails her newlywed plans.
—Peter White, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
Misinformation derails a solution for misinformation One example of false narratives having an impact was the fate of something called Senate Bill 549, says Julia Stein, deputy director for the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA School of Law.
—Julia Simon, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
But they can’t get caught up looking for a short-term solution that derails their long-term plan of development.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
Charmast Portable Charger with Built-in Cables Travelers know that nothing derails a trip faster than a dead phone battery.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
After the train derails in a tunnel, palace staff begin evacuating — but moments later, a horrifying explosion kills Camilla’s private secretary, Sir Peregrine Greaves.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Alexandra Zagalsky, TheWeek, 4 Mar. 2026
Looking ahead, Wewel sounded a note of caution on the current spike, suggesting that silver's risk/return balance could falter if the current momentum derails.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Just as Rome anchored a vast empire, character development anchors our understanding of why bright‑side leadership derails and why dark‑side leadership endures.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Per the logline, Geonhwa is an exceptionally adept and seasoned dealer who has lived a life far removed from the vices of the casino floor, who finds her life upended when a housing scam derails her newlywed plans.
—Peter White, Deadline, 13 Jan. 2026
Misinformation derails a solution for misinformation One example of false narratives having an impact was the fate of something called Senate Bill 549, says Julia Stein, deputy director for the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA School of Law.
—Julia Simon, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
But they can’t get caught up looking for a short-term solution that derails their long-term plan of development.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
Charmast Portable Charger with Built-in Cables Travelers know that nothing derails a trip faster than a dead phone battery.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
After the train derails in a tunnel, palace staff begin evacuating — but moments later, a horrifying explosion kills Camilla’s private secretary, Sir Peregrine Greaves.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derails
Verb
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Investigators said one of the men distracts the victim while another watches the victim input their PIN on the keypad.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
But wrapping this lesson with an expensive animatronic and a pre-recorded show with a Hollywood insider distracts from that message.—
Robert Niles,
Oc Register,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dethatching disturbs the soil surface, which can trigger dormant weed seeds to sprout.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The work that disturbs the most is of a translucent man.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That notion clearly bothers Schoen and the organization.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
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One thing that bothers him, though, is the calls from GVA asking for cash to shore up financing on the underwater properties as loan rates skyrocketed and monthly debt servicing led to losses.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But worries about a potentially slowing economy are pulling downward at the same time.—
Matt Ott,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
But what worries me a little bit more is that some of the professionals at embassies and consuls are not being told to come home.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
LaCava said the change seems like another city policy that angers many residents without major impact.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
-
What angers me is thinking about what could have been.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Corps has adamantly refused to conduct sediment testing for PFAS, which alarms local scientists and environmentalists like Burdette.—
Patrick Sisson,
Scientific American,
9 Mar. 2026
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But that's not really what alarms me, someone making money off of military advancements.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Many of the marchers are of Mexican or Hispanic descent, so the treatment and mass deportation of undocumented immigrants greatly concerns them.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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The case concerns the antitrust implications of selling live-music tickets for certain types of venues and does not directly involve the sale of tickets to live sports.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What unsettles us, though, is a pause.—
Essence,
Essence,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The film’s plot is thrust in motion when a series of perverse scam calls unsettles an idyllic retirement community, watching as a starry-eyed nurse (Cemre Paksoy) becomes entangled with her mysterious patient (Bruce McKenzie).—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derails. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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