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
Soaring jet fuel prices derailed Spirit’s plans to emerge from its second bankruptcy, and negotiations with the federal government on a possible $500 million bailout haven’t yielded a result acceptable to the government and Spirit’s creditors.
—
Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
The Chicago Cubs didn’t let a challenging West Coast trip derail a strong stretch.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
The proposal faces multiple hurdles that could derail it.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
But after a cyclone derails a sailing trip, Callista becomes stranded on an island for over a year — alongside Darren's ex-army medic cousin, Dominic.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
The Chicago Cubs didn’t let a challenging West Coast trip derail a strong stretch.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
The proposal faces multiple hurdles that could derail it.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
But after a cyclone derails a sailing trip, Callista becomes stranded on an island for over a year — alongside Darren's ex-army medic cousin, Dominic.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
Verb
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Made in response to a difficult breakup, the work alludes to two lovers parting ways, but also to Pau’s memories of isolation as a severely asthmatic child in a notoriously polluted city, lying in bed staring at the wall and inventing stories to distract herself from the difficulty of breathing.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
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His father, Brady Kiser, said he was momentarily distracted when the incident occurred and that Emilie was away at the time.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Ty Segall exemplifies the modern indie rock experimentalist, constantly trying out new styles and attitudes and usually landing on some intense neopsychedelic sounds that can both comfort and disturb.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
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The worms thrash and move erratically with a snake-like motion that disturbs the topsoil.—
Maria Braganini,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After a frustrating conversation with a hotel staffer about the air conditioning, a hot and bothered Fuller threw on a ball cap, turned it backward and recorded a rant on his cellphone.—
Tia Mitchell,
AJC.com,
1 May 2026
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Nine months after Varland was traded, Twins fans are still bothered the hometown kid isn’t clicking for them instead, especially given recent results from Minnesota’s bullpen.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
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That worries Thomas Johnson, a Black voter in New Orleans who was at the state Capitol to lobby on unrelated legislation Wednesday when the Supreme Court ruling came down.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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When Arakas was arrested, Bon neww worried that the police might have accessed the Estonian’s BlackBerry.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Many researchers, advocates and policy experts are alarmed by this White House policy.—
Alison Barkoff,
The Conversation,
29 Apr. 2026
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But the city stressed that this operation would not be for a data center, which remains a source of contention for many residents alarmed by their proliferation across the state.—
Catherine Muccigrosso,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There’s a lot to be concerned about.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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The king’s visit with a deeply divisive American president, who himself has been compared to a monarch, threatens to further divide Americans concerning the British royals.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The $1,800 donation, disclosed in a late campaign finance filing posted Monday, comes as the race remains crowded and unsettled ahead of the June 2 primary.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Contemporary research complicates these findings, necessarily accounting for differences in dosage, metabolism, and preparation, and unsettling scientific conclusions divorced from how sassafras was utilized in real, traditional contexts.—
Kari Traylor,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Describing this photo, documentary photographer Chantal Pinzi says that Ghita Jhaite's horse was agitated after a confrontation with other stallions that caused the rider to fall.—
Kamala Thiagarajan,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2026
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Submerge the jacket and gently agitate the water with your hands to loosen dirt.—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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