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
Synonyms of derail
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 burning husks of large trucks transporting fuel and derailed train cars were filmed and photographed by civilians and Ukrainian military drones, highlighting supply chain disruptions.
—
Marc Santora,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
The summer’s political bestseller portrays him as a figure whose transformative potential has been utterly derailed by hubris.
—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
3 July 2026
His relentless push for the measure has prompted him to derail a bipartisan housing bill and threaten to forgo signing any piece of legislation unless the voting measure is approved.
—
Ana Ceballos
follow,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Max Meyer’s bid to win his first 10 decisions for Miami this season was derailed by four unearned runs in the fourth.
—
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
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Marc Santora,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
The summer’s political bestseller portrays him as a figure whose transformative potential has been utterly derailed by hubris.
—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
3 July 2026
His relentless push for the measure has prompted him to derail a bipartisan housing bill and threaten to forgo signing any piece of legislation unless the voting measure is approved.
—
Ana Ceballos
follow,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Max Meyer’s bid to win his first 10 decisions for Miami this season was derailed by four unearned runs in the fourth.
—
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derail. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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