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Derailed: meaning, definitions and examples

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derailed

 

[ dɪˈreɪld ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

train accident

To derail means to cause a train or tram to leave its tracks accidentally.

Synonyms

derange, dislodge, displace

Examples of usage

  • The train derailed due to a faulty track switch.
  • The heavy rain caused the tram to derail.
Context #2 | Verb

plan or process

To derail can also mean to cause something such as a plan or process to fail or be disrupted.

Synonyms

disrupt, hinder, obstruct

Examples of usage

  • The negotiations were derailed by a last-minute disagreement.
  • The project was derailed by unforeseen budget cuts.

Translations

Translations of the word "derailed" in other languages:

🇵🇹 descarrilado

🇮🇳 पटरी से उतरा

🇩🇪 entgleist

🇮🇩 tergelincir

🇺🇦 зійшов з рейок

🇵🇱 wykolejony

🇯🇵 脱線した

🇫🇷 déraillé

🇪🇸 descarrilado

🇹🇷 raydan çıkmış

🇰🇷 탈선한

🇸🇦 انحرف عن مساره

🇨🇿 vykolejený

🇸🇰 vykoľajený

🇨🇳 出轨

🇸🇮 iztiril

🇮🇸 úrspora

🇰🇿 рельстен шығып кеткен

🇬🇪 რელსებიდან გადახრილი

🇦🇿 relstdən çıxmış

🇲🇽 descarrilado

Word origin

The word 'derail' originated from the French word 'déraillement', which means 'a going off the rails'. It first appeared in the English language in the mid-19th century. The concept of derailing a train has been around since the invention of railways in the early 19th century, as accidents involving trains leaving the tracks were common. Over time, the term 'derail' has been extended to describe the disruption or failure of plans, processes, or events.

See also: derailment.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #25,747, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.