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
In the past year at UF, the GOP’s push to eliminate academic leaders seen as insufficiently hostile to left-leaning academics effectively derailed the hiring of a new president and multiple college dean searches.
—Garrett Shanley Herald, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Paramount has been attempting for months to derail the Netflix transaction with a series of hostile offers.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
Victories by the far right—especially in France and Poland—could derail the current trajectory.
—Joseph De Weck, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Lowe is one of many players in Angels camp who is trying to return to form after getting derailed by injuries.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for derail
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Garrett Shanley Herald, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Paramount has been attempting for months to derail the Netflix transaction with a series of hostile offers.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
Victories by the far right—especially in France and Poland—could derail the current trajectory.
—Joseph De Weck, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Lowe is one of many players in Angels camp who is trying to return to form after getting derailed by injuries.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 17 Feb. 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 18 Feb. 2026.
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