as in to distract
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 derail
Lawler knocked his own party last year for derailing a funding plan to avoid a government shutdown, calling for bipartisanship.
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Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 16 Nov. 2024
Look for specific changes that would put the two of you on a level playing field, then ask for those without derailing into potentially distracting commentary.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 15 Nov. 2024
After Trump left office in 2021, Miller became president of America First Legal, a group that joined Republican state attorneys general to derail President Joe Biden’s border policies and plans.
—Elliot Spagat, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
Despite the desperate cries for help, Governor Newsom and the state Legislature sabotaged efforts to pass common sense bills to strengthen the state’s theft and drug laws, playing a dangerous game of chicken with the state’s district attorneys in the hopes of derailing Prop. 36.
—Todd Spitzer, Orange County Register, 11 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for derail 
Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 16 Nov. 2024
Look for specific changes that would put the two of you on a level playing field, then ask for those without derailing into potentially distracting commentary.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 15 Nov. 2024
After Trump left office in 2021, Miller became president of America First Legal, a group that joined Republican state attorneys general to derail President Joe Biden’s border policies and plans.
—Elliot Spagat, The Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2024
Despite the desperate cries for help, Governor Newsom and the state Legislature sabotaged efforts to pass common sense bills to strengthen the state’s theft and drug laws, playing a dangerous game of chicken with the state’s district attorneys in the hopes of derailing Prop. 36.
—Todd Spitzer, Orange County Register, 11 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for derail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derail
Verb
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But that’s a red herring—a way to distract policymakers from what’s really at fault.Paul Weinstein Jr., Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
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The next night, the same lineup will play in State College, Pennsylvania, and Johnson promises there will be no interviews distracting him from catching Keith’s performance.Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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No bicycles or pets, and don’t disturb or collect the plants or wildlife.Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register, 29 Nov. 2024
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Authorities accuse them of inciting attacks against security forces and disturbing public peace.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Jeff Beal, owner of the Cigar Vault, said the business uses a ventilation system that recycles the air, so patrons of nearby businesses should not be bothered by the cigar smoke.Rachel Royster, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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They cannot be bothered with solving the day-to-day needs-to-survive of their charges.Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
Verb
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To those who struggled with it, don’t worry — there’s always next year.Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2024
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Uribe, who signed the EPA petition, worries that his property’s value could be affected if a Superfund site is declared, or even that his property could be taken through eminent domain.Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The dawning of his second term has invoked jubilation from those who welcome Trump back to the Oval Office and fear from those alarmed by his insulting rhetoric about political opponents, the media, migrants and others.Alexandria Burris, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Nov. 2024
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Cases like these — and the slew of illicit shops padlocked by police on the local news — have the potential to alarm Americans who have only just begun to support the notion of legalization, and provide fuel for those who are opposed to it.Lavanya Ramanathan, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Guidelines concerning street cuts, which is the removal of any portion of the street surface, now guarantee roads are returned to original condition after the cuts are performed.Vivien Ayers, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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That’s concerning because at that point in the startup journey, the companies should be transitioning from finding a product-market fit to developing robust sales pipelines and managing cash in a sustainable way.Marc Schröder, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Also unsettled is the question of whether the trial will be conducted before a jury or whether it should be left to the judge to make the ruling based on the evidence presented.John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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Sweetin was also unsettled by Saget, Coulier and Stamos’s elderly characters ogling the adult Kimmy.John Russell, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Keep The Water Moving Use a small device that sits inside the birdbath to agitate the water to prevent it from freezing, or choose a bubbler rock, which burbles water up and provides a place for birds to perch.Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2024
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However, he and his colleagues are immediately agitated by the arrival of Dr. Blake (Harriet Sansom Harris), who has been sent to evaluate mental health across the department.Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near derail
Cite this Entry
“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derail. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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