derail
verb (used with object)
to cause (a train, streetcar, etc.) to run off the rails of a track.
derailed
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past participleof derail.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof derail.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
derailverb (used with object)to cause (a train, streetcar, etc.) to run off the rails of a track.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If some of these satellites get hacked, damaged, derailed, or destroyed, America’s ability to fight a war would be seriously degraded.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
But the nearby data center completely derailed her plans.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026
Known for its ultra-low prices and rapidly produced clothes, the Chinese-founded behemoth's stock sale in the Asian financial hub comes after IPO plans for New York and London were derailed under regulatory scrutiny.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
Mediobanca—itself Assicurazioni Generali’s top shareholder—last year saw an offer for Banca Generali derailed by its own investors, who failed to approve the move after a top shareholder abstained from the vote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
And the agent could not stand to have something he was doing get derailed by someone with whom he’d been forced to work.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
