derail
verb (used with object)
to cause (a train, streetcar, etc.) to run off the rails of a track.
derailing
-
present participleof derail.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Yet her closeness to the 21-year-old Brahms, who rushed to her side and didn’t leave, risked derailing everything.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
“It sucks,” he said of the injury derailing him down the stretch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
“True financial independence means you reasonably control what allows you to live the life you want without external things derailing you,” Welborn said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026
Iran's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, warned on Tuesday that violations of the ceasefire framework risked derailing broader diplomatic progress.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
This was the only way to keep Cynthia from disrupting and derailing the entire lesson.
From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds
