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
Examples of derail in a Sentence
The train derailed in heavy snow.
The train was derailed by heavy snow.
Recent Examples on the Web
But a new court ruling blocking that effort marks a significant setback, potentially delaying or derailing parts of Trump's hardline immigration agenda.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
Without visibility, companies risk blind spots that could derail multimillion-dollar deals or trigger regulatory penalties.
—Pukar Hamal, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Injuries can derail careers and leave players adjusting to unexpected circumstances.
—David Ubben, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
This gives them a chance with a microphone to get their case out to the other women without interruption, derailing, or backbiting.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for derail
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Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
Without visibility, companies risk blind spots that could derail multimillion-dollar deals or trigger regulatory penalties.
—Pukar Hamal, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Injuries can derail careers and leave players adjusting to unexpected circumstances.
—David Ubben, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
This gives them a chance with a microphone to get their case out to the other women without interruption, derailing, or backbiting.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 July 2025
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 Aug. 2025.
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