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
But the decision to launch the attack on Qatari soil reverberated instantly through the region and inside the White House, where officials said the strike risked derailing delicate diplomacy.
—
Nik Popli, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
This resulted in the carriage at the top of the street increasing in speed down the slope and later derailing, GPIAAF’s report found.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
Smith-Schuster lasted just seven snaps before missing the next three games, derailing any momentum.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2025
However, gut feelings and guesswork will only result in unreliable data, derailing your forecast and robbing you of the ability to anticipate revenue, manage resources and make the informed decisions necessary to drive your company’s growth.
—Julie Thomas, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Picquart reopens the investigation and pushes for a retrial, butting heads with his superiors and with a disloyal, antisemitic subordinate (Grégory Gadebois)—ultimately derailing his military career in the pursuit of justice.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
Israel's Ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, criticised Australia's decision on social media platform X as undermining Israel's security and derailing hostage negotiations.
—Kirsty Needham, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Nik Popli, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
This resulted in the carriage at the top of the street increasing in speed down the slope and later derailing, GPIAAF’s report found.
—Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
Smith-Schuster lasted just seven snaps before missing the next three games, derailing any momentum.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2025
However, gut feelings and guesswork will only result in unreliable data, derailing your forecast and robbing you of the ability to anticipate revenue, manage resources and make the informed decisions necessary to drive your company’s growth.
—Julie Thomas, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Picquart reopens the investigation and pushes for a retrial, butting heads with his superiors and with a disloyal, antisemitic subordinate (Grégory Gadebois)—ultimately derailing his military career in the pursuit of justice.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2025
Israel's Ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, criticised Australia's decision on social media platform X as undermining Israel's security and derailing hostage negotiations.
—Kirsty Needham, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for derailing
Verb
-
Lead with Gratitude and Grace Calling out someone for bothering you is always tricky.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
6 Sep. 2025
-
That appeared to be a distraction at times to Anisimova, who motioned to her team in the stands that something was bothering her during ball tosses for serves.—
Howard Fendrich,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With Jorgen Strand Larsen, who scored vital goals last season, suffering from an injury and a distracting transfer saga amid interest from Newcastle, Pereira has had to work with three crucial players through the spine of his team either missing or below par.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Here, the challenge was capturing speed, altitude, and precision in a way that feels immediate without distracting from the story.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Unfollow accounts that regularly share disturbing images.—
Annie Margaret,
The Conversation,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The second sounds like every other LinkedIn message disturbing their peace and cluttering their inbox.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Issues concerning the family, finances and health are all immediate needs that can be overwhelming to both the inmate and their family members.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
These matters concerning candidate quality are nothing new.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The tackling was alarming enough that the Broncos were practicing on Monday with live tackles, something that’s not seen too often once the season starts.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Sep. 2025
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The news was saddening for Jewell — but also alarming for the defense.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This willingness of the AI to heap praise and act as a sycophant has worrying consequences for the populace as a whole.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
In fact, Federal Reserve policymakers have already started worrying about the housing market.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Declaring bankruptcy allowed the church to freeze all of its pending lawsuits, angering victims’ attorneys who repeatedly have accused Bishop Michael Barber of trying to stall.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Lawyers at Walsh Gallegos coordinated two releases of emails and other documents on behalf of the school board, but CNN reported how gaping holes remained, surprising and angering board members.—
Shimon Prokupecz,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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If the leaves are especially dirty, soak in cold water, gently agitating them to loosen dirt and grit.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
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Strand Larsen has been keen on the possibility of the move but is not agitating to leave Wolves.—
David Ornstein,
New York Times,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Derailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/derailing. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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