derail
verb
de·rail di-ˈrāl 
dē-
derailed; derailing; derails
transitive verb
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 Gordonintransitive verb
: to leave the rails
derailment
di-ˈrāl-mənt
noun dē-
Synonyms
- agitate
- ail
- alarm
- alarum
- bother
- concern
- discomfort
- discompose
- dismay
- disquiet
- distemper
- distract
- distress
- disturb
- exercise
- flurry
- frazzle
- freak (out)
- fuss
- hagride
- perturb
- undo
- unhinge
- unsettle
- upset
- weird out
- worry
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The train derailed in heavy snow. The train was derailed by heavy snow.
Recent Examples on the Web But health officials are keeping watch for any emerging variants that might derail their plan. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 But Anschutz’s wind farm also offers a sneak peek at some of the obstacles that could derail the clean energy revolution — and fuel a future of ever-deadlier wildfires, droughts, heat waves and floods, which are already plenty bad enough. Sammy Rothstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 That’s good news, because this was the kind of loss that can derail postseason aspirations, the kind that demands a strong response. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2022 Wall Street is attempting to derail SEC Chairman Gensler’s agenda by challenging economic assumptions underpinning dozens of policy proposals. WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 Pittman lost his job over the vaccine mandate, which has left the city battling a police officer shortage as crime continues to derail city streets. Fox News, 23 Aug. 2022 The show-cause hearing began at 5 p.m. with a move by the entertainment venue’s lawyer, Brian LaPlante of LaPlante Sowa Goldman in Cranston, to derail the hearing entirely. Carlos R. Muñoz, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 WilmerHale concluded in its report that his detractors attempted to derail his nomination. Lisa Rein, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Aug. 2022 Approval came after a weekend session featuring an all-night voting marathon that stretched for 16 hours, in which Republicans tried and failed repeatedly to derail the legislation, and Democrats united to beat back nearly all of their efforts. Emily Cochrane, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2022 See More
Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 But Anschutz’s wind farm also offers a sneak peek at some of the obstacles that could derail the clean energy revolution — and fuel a future of ever-deadlier wildfires, droughts, heat waves and floods, which are already plenty bad enough. Sammy Rothstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 That’s good news, because this was the kind of loss that can derail postseason aspirations, the kind that demands a strong response. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2022 Wall Street is attempting to derail SEC Chairman Gensler’s agenda by challenging economic assumptions underpinning dozens of policy proposals. WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 Pittman lost his job over the vaccine mandate, which has left the city battling a police officer shortage as crime continues to derail city streets. Fox News, 23 Aug. 2022 The show-cause hearing began at 5 p.m. with a move by the entertainment venue’s lawyer, Brian LaPlante of LaPlante Sowa Goldman in Cranston, to derail the hearing entirely. Carlos R. Muñoz, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 WilmerHale concluded in its report that his detractors attempted to derail his nomination. Lisa Rein, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Aug. 2022 Approval came after a weekend session featuring an all-night voting marathon that stretched for 16 hours, in which Republicans tried and failed repeatedly to derail the legislation, and Democrats united to beat back nearly all of their efforts. Emily Cochrane, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
French dérailler to throw off the track, from dé- de- + rail, from English
First Known Use
1850, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Kids Definition
derail
verb
de·rail di-ˈrāl
derailed; derailing
1
: to leave or cause to leave the rails
The train derailed.
2
: to make progress or success difficult for
Injuries derailed his plan for a championship.
derailing
verb
as in distracting
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy according to police, the suspect had been derailed in recent months by mounting financial problems Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- distracting
- bothering
- disturbing
- alarming
- concerning
- angering
- worrying
- agitating
- upsetting
- plaguing
- undoing
- unsettling
- haunting
- unhinging
- distressing
- perturbing
- annoying
- irritating
- ailing
- exercising
- rattling
- disquieting
- dismaying
- confusing
- discomforting
- harassing
- embarrassing
- discouraging
- aggravating
- distempering
- frazzling
- riling
- exasperating
- discomposing
- fussing
- irking
- getting
- bugging
- flurrying
- vexing
- hagriding
- weirding out
- pestering
- piquing
- bedeviling
- harrying
- alaruming
- nettling
- fretting
- chafing
- flustering
- confounding
- peeving
- grating
- chivying
- galling
- disconcerting
- jarring
- chivvying
- demoralizing
- mortifying
- freaking (out)
- putting off
- putting out
- unnerving
- disheartening
- fazing
- discomfiting
- discountenancing
- dispiriting
- shaking up
- daunting
- nonplussing
- abashing
- nonplusing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- quieting
- settling
- composing
- calming
- alleviating
- soothing
- allaying
- assuaging
- tranquilizing
- placating
- pacifying
- mollifying
- tranquillizing
- appeasing
- conciliating
- propitiating