derail

verb

de·​rail di-ˈrāl How to pronounce derail (audio)
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 employeeJoanne Gordon

intransitive verb

: to leave the rails
derailment noun

Examples of derail in a Sentence

The train derailed in heavy snow. The train was derailed by heavy snow.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In related news, the director of California’s recycling agency, Rachel Wagoner, helped write the single-use plastics law — before going to work for the plastics and packaging companies that critics say are attempting to derail the law. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025 By Greg Stohr | Bloomberg The US Supreme Court refused to consider an unusual bid by 19 Republican-run states to derail a set of lawsuits that seek to hold oil and gas companies accountable for climate change. Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025 That was the case on Friday night on the Canadian west coast, as a late mistake by the Minnesota Wild derailed an otherwise exemplary effort, and the Vancouver Canucks escaped with a 3-1 win. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2025 But such tensions need not derail a push for peace—which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people clearly want. Stephen Hadley, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for derail

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of derail was in 1850

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Derail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/derail. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

derail

verb
de·​rail di-ˈrā(ə)l How to pronounce derail (audio)
: to cause to run off the rails
a train derailed by heavy snow
derailment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on derail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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