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
Bill Murray reflected on the allegations and eventual $100,000 settlement that derailed and subsequently shuttered Disney’s Searchlight Pictures adaptation of Being Mortal back in 2022.
—
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 5 Apr. 2025
In Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, a train was stopped on a bridge due to multiple active weather warnings in the area early Saturday morning, when heavy flood waters washed out the bridge and derailed multiple cars, according to BNSF Railway.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
But the Lake Highland Prep eighth grader didn’t let a third-place finish in the Class 2A state final be a disappointment or derail her.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2025
Comedian Michelle Buteau stars as Mavis Beaumont, an assistant stylist on the verge of her big break when a breakup derails her progress.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 5 Apr. 2025
In Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, a train was stopped on a bridge due to multiple active weather warnings in the area early Saturday morning, when heavy flood waters washed out the bridge and derailed multiple cars, according to BNSF Railway.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
But the Lake Highland Prep eighth grader didn’t let a third-place finish in the Class 2A state final be a disappointment or derail her.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2025
Comedian Michelle Buteau stars as Mavis Beaumont, an assistant stylist on the verge of her big break when a breakup derails her progress.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
Verb
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While most of the acting is wonderful (Wyle is predictably great, but so is just about all of the main cast), some patient-of-the-week players err towards distracting histrionics.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
11 Apr. 2025
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The one who got distracted by the minstrel did not finish last.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This involved manually disturbing the leg and then releasing it, capturing the resulting oscillations on high-speed video.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2025
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What Is No-Till Gardening? Simply put, no-till is an approach to gardening that avoids disturbing soil in order to preserve its structure.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow was popular enough that fans wanted a solo story, but the studio didn't bother to make it until her character was already dead in the major timeline, then skipped the theatrical release, which Johansson sued them about.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
19 Apr. 2025
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The Mavericks defeated the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night in Sacramento, 120-106; the Mavs led by more than 20 points in the first half, and the Kings never bothered to muster much of a run to make this interesting.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Critics worry that other anti-democratic actors will be taking cues from Bukele to curry favor with this particular president.—
David Catanese,
Miami Herald,
14 Apr. 2025
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Victims of car collisions may have more to worry about as insurance companies warn drivers to be aware of a growing scam involving tow truck companies.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Inspired by the urgent call from birth justice leaders and alarming CDC statistics showing Black women in the United States are three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women.—
Melissa Noel,
Essence,
9 Apr. 2025
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Are we supposed to be alarmed that team is falling apart?—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The incident report was issued Monday at 3:57 p.m., and the last update concerning this incident was provided on Monday at 4:01 p.m.—
Kansas City Star Bot,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2025
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The season went from concerning to disastrous under Van Nistelrooy.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Loomer’s Role in Firings: The firing of national security officials on the advice of Laura Loomer, a far-right agitator and conspiracy theorist, unsettled even some veteran Trump officials.—
Michael D. Shear,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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An ailing husband doesn’t unsettle the established dynamic of who manages the home — as women are typically pre-socialized to be the caregivers.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Place lasagna noodles in a 9- x 13- inch baking dish; cover with hot or boiling water to submerge and set aside to soak until noodles are pliable, about 30 minutes, agitating noodles occasionally to prevent them from sticking together.—
Nicole Hopper,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2025
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For instance, trust will be eroded when a person demonstrates a lack of temperance, which manifests as being agitated, impatient, inattentive, rash, and anxious instead of being composed, patient, prudent, self-controlled, and calm.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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