as in bothering
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 derailing
Officiating became an incendiary subplot; controversial calls and no-calls stirred the pot in the first half without ever completely derailing the game once Denver and San Antonio got down to business later.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
The packing mistakes range from a minor inconvenience to derailing the first day or two of a trip.
—Jamie Davis Smith, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2026
The semi-autobiographical book chronicles the derailing life of Esther Greenwood, a talented undergraduate student who begins an internship with a New York City magazine.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Toppin almost certainly was going to earn his share of honors prior to the injury derailing his campaign.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
At a Homeland Security hearing last week, Kansas City police officials and a Miami World Cup host committee executive claimed the funding gap risked derailing the tournament’s planning and security.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
With energy prices climbing at a blistering pace, the prospect of an expanding Middle East conflict risks derailing the European economy’s recovery, which was enjoying low inflation and better-than-expected growth.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026
But Beijing has claimed a partial victory, by derailing Washington’s initial plans to acquire CK Hutchison’s global port holdings outright, Goujon said.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Nearly 60% of workers in Kickresume’s survey said difficult coworkers significantly undermine their productivity, whether that’s by derailing their focus, wasting time, or forcing them to overthink every interaction.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026
The packing mistakes range from a minor inconvenience to derailing the first day or two of a trip.
—Jamie Davis Smith, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2026
The semi-autobiographical book chronicles the derailing life of Esther Greenwood, a talented undergraduate student who begins an internship with a New York City magazine.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Toppin almost certainly was going to earn his share of honors prior to the injury derailing his campaign.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026
At a Homeland Security hearing last week, Kansas City police officials and a Miami World Cup host committee executive claimed the funding gap risked derailing the tournament’s planning and security.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
With energy prices climbing at a blistering pace, the prospect of an expanding Middle East conflict risks derailing the European economy’s recovery, which was enjoying low inflation and better-than-expected growth.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026
But Beijing has claimed a partial victory, by derailing Washington’s initial plans to acquire CK Hutchison’s global port holdings outright, Goujon said.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Nearly 60% of workers in Kickresume’s survey said difficult coworkers significantly undermine their productivity, whether that’s by derailing their focus, wasting time, or forcing them to overthink every interaction.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailing
Verb
-
Why are two players whose college careers, at the moment, are over bothering to put their names out there for other programs to see?—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Throughout the day, jot down any worries that are bothering you, particularly the ones that keep popping up.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Not all Mauss’s material lends equally well to visualizations, and there are moments in the special when the animations are more distracting than additive.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The combination with the neutral dark-blue jean skirt keeps the look still feeling grown-up and not too distracting.—
Jana Ackermann,
Glamour,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Instead of barging past, the Great Dane carefully adjusts his body, pressing himself to the side of the stairs in an effort to avoid disturbing the cat.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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Police said there were reports of reckless driving throughout the parking lot, a fire, underage drinking, and disturbing others at the shopping district.—
Robert A. Cronkleton
March 30,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
More concerning, humanin was eventually linked to breast and brain cancers.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
That’s concerning, for sure, considering that Colorado’s 1,531 strikeouts last season were the most in the National League and the third-most in franchise history.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Midway through my massage, the boat unmoored itself and set sail—setting off an initially alarming vibrating bed and whirring engine noise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Recently, something new appeared on the landscape, alarming wildlife advocates like Christina Aiello.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That's where Somali businesses struggled due to customers worrying that ICE might arrest them while shopping.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Colleagues had been worrying about Metayer Bowen all day long.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This causes a rift within the family, particularly angering the eldest son, Erik, who feels deeply betrayed.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
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The administration also decided to allow the up to 80,000 metric tons of low-tariff, lower-quality beef from Argentina to be imported to help keep grocery prices down, angering cattle ranchers who argue the decision will hurt domestic production and sales.—
Jennifer Jacobs,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pour in egg mixture and immediately stir with a heatproof rubber spatula, incorporating ham and gently agitating eggs, and running it along edges until sides begin to bubble, about 30 seconds.—
Inés Anguiano,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Barnes took on Jokic and fronted him aggressively, agitating him early in the game, but the three-time MVP managed to fight through it and limit his turnovers to two this time.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Derailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailing. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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