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
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 conversation can easily be derailed by technical glitches, distractions or the awkwardness of constantly seeing your face on the screen.
—Nathan Green, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2024
The movie tells the story of a professional pilot, Joseph Emerson, who was accused of trying to crash a plane under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms after fearing mental health treatment would derail his career.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 10 July 2024
In Mount Vernon, the storm tore off roofs, smashed into mobile homes and derailed train cars.
—John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 10 July 2024
The process was unconventional, as Rice played in an assortment of leagues and even helped create his own after the pandemic derailed his collegiate career at Dartmouth.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 10 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for derail 
Nathan Green, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2024
The movie tells the story of a professional pilot, Joseph Emerson, who was accused of trying to crash a plane under the influence of psychedelic mushrooms after fearing mental health treatment would derail his career.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 10 July 2024
In Mount Vernon, the storm tore off roofs, smashed into mobile homes and derailed train cars.
—John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 10 July 2024
The process was unconventional, as Rice played in an assortment of leagues and even helped create his own after the pandemic derailed his collegiate career at Dartmouth.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 10 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for derail
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'derail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near derail
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derail. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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