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
Russian trains derail The drones were far from the only incidents over the weekend.
—
Charles Maynes, NPR, 2 June 2025
Before an ankle injury derailed his season last year, Robinson was on pace for a historic offensive rebounding campaign and was widely considered the league’s best on the glass.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 31 May 2025
Lack of alignment on cultural elements—like corporate values, vision for the future, the attitudes and behaviors that drive outcomes—can derail even the most promising acquisition.
—Steve Swinney, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Pham’s dad did eventually support his son’s hopes — which were almost derailed again by a bureaucratic error.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Charles Maynes, NPR, 2 June 2025
Before an ankle injury derailed his season last year, Robinson was on pace for a historic offensive rebounding campaign and was widely considered the league’s best on the glass.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 31 May 2025
Lack of alignment on cultural elements—like corporate values, vision for the future, the attitudes and behaviors that drive outcomes—can derail even the most promising acquisition.
—Steve Swinney, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Pham’s dad did eventually support his son’s hopes — which were almost derailed again by a bureaucratic error.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
Verb
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Growth must reinforce strategy, not distract from it.—
Ayo Adepoju,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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But when the pair get to a higher point in order to try to see where the Wolves are/where Tommy might be, Ellie is distracted by a nearby aquarium, which has a giant ferris wheel nearby.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
25 May 2025
Verb
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Create Do-Not-Disturb Prompts To Discourage Interruptions Experiment with reducing your availability to interruptions by following specific practices that signal to others you shouldn’t be disturbed.—
Caroline Ceniza-Levine,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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Perhaps your time off request isn’t approved, or your vacation plans have been disturbed by your colleagues.—
Liz Simmons,
StyleCaster,
27 May 2025
Verb
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After years of ‘losing culture,’ can the new-look Chicago Bears turn things around on defense? Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard didn’t bother mincing words.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
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Users do have to purchase such gadgets, learn how to utilize them, and put them on their body, however, which are all steps that many folks simply won't bother taking.—
Ben Coxworth,
New Atlas,
26 May 2025
Verb
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These trends are causing 67% of the workforce to worry about the economy’s impact on their current jobs, according to the Workforce Pulse Survey from Remote.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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From the moment President Donald Trump took office, Flo has worried and contemplated her next steps.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, in an email, said that he was alarmed by the decision to cut the funding, adding that many Missourians in need of behavioral health care come to Kansas City.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
23 May 2025
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The warning follows a concerning rise in measles cases nationally, with a significant outbreak in Texas that has alarmed public health officials.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Regulators and watchdogs have also long been concerned about donations from individuals with ties to foreign interests.—
Brian Slodysko,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
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Overnight, officials were primarily concerned with high levels of volcanic gas such as water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide that can have far-reaching effects downwind.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
27 May 2025
Verb
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Since taking the helm in 2018, Powell has steered the Fed through a litany of challenges, such as an economic crisis sowed by the Covid-19 pandemic, a historic bout of high inflation, and now, an erratic global trade war that has unsettled decision-makers across the world.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
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But also recognize that sometimes our most significant relationship growth comes through moments that initially unsettle us.—
Anna Pulley,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2025
Verb
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One group, led by Paul as well as Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Mike Lee of Utah, is agitating for deeper spending cuts, noting that the bill as written is projected to balloon federal deficits.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 June 2025
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The dryer balls will bounce around and agitate the filling in your duvet, allowing for more efficient drying and constant fluffing.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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