derailed; derailing; derails
1
: to cause to run off the rails
2
a
: to obstruct the progress of : frustrate
security problems derailed the tour
b
: to upset the stability or composure of
divorce … can seriously derail an employee—
Joanne Gordon
Joanne Gordon
: to leave the rails
Examples of derail in a Sentence
The train derailed in heavy snow.
The train was derailed by heavy snow.
Recent Examples on the Web
The diminished interest in the UFL coincides with a labor dispute that threatened to derail the start of the season.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Apr. 2025
But the massacre of Alawites underscored the risk of sectarian violence derailing Syria’s transition.
—Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Apr. 2025
Read Next Missouri See photos, videos from Amtrak crash scene in Mendon, Missouri, where train derailed
June 27, 2022 5:57 PM
The NTSB’s final investigative report, released in August 2023, confirmed that flaws at the railroad crossing contributed to the Amtrak derailment.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
The arcane proxy voting matter had threatened to derail House GOP leadership’s plans to hold a vote this week on that budget resolution, which provides a framework for President Trump’s ambitious legislative agenda on tax cuts, border and energy policy.
—Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
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Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Apr. 2025
But the massacre of Alawites underscored the risk of sectarian violence derailing Syria’s transition.
—Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Apr. 2025
Read Next Missouri See photos, videos from Amtrak crash scene in Mendon, Missouri, where train derailed
June 27, 2022 5:57 PM
The NTSB’s final investigative report, released in August 2023, confirmed that flaws at the railroad crossing contributed to the Amtrak derailment.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
The arcane proxy voting matter had threatened to derail House GOP leadership’s plans to hold a vote this week on that budget resolution, which provides a framework for President Trump’s ambitious legislative agenda on tax cuts, border and energy policy.
—Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derail. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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