derail
B2Formal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
To cause (a train) to leave its tracks.
To interrupt, disrupt, or cause something to fail or go off course, especially a process, plan, or discussion.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a verb. Literal use (trains) is less frequent than metaphorical use. Often implies an unwanted, sudden disruption caused by an external factor.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Consistently negative, implying failure, disruption, or a diversion from a planned course.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American news/political discourse regarding 'derailing a conversation', but widely used in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + object (e.g., derail the train)[verb] + object + from + noun phrase (e.g., derail him from his goal)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “derail the gravy train (humorous, rare)”
- “to go off the rails (related idiom)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'The scandal threatened to derail the merger talks.'
Academic
'A single methodological flaw can derail an entire research project.'
Everyday
'Sorry, I don't want to derail the conversation, but could we talk about the budget?'
Technical
'The foreign object on the line derailed the locomotive.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The protestors attempted to derail the new legislation.
- A points failure derailed the Edinburgh express.
American English
- The filibuster could derail the bill's passage.
- A truck struck the crossing and derailed the freight train.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The toy train fell off the table and derailed.
- Bad weather can derail travel plans.
- The sudden resignation of the CEO derailed the company's expansion strategy.
- The investigation was derailed by procedural irregularities and allegations of evidence tampering.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DE-RAIL. DE means 'off' or 'away from'. So, to go OFF the RAILs.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PROCESS IS A TRAIN ON TRACKS. Disruption is forcing it off its predetermined path.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as "разрушать" (destroy) or "срывать" (to rip off/tear). The core idea is deviation from a path, not pure destruction. Closer to "сходить с рельсов" (literal) or "срывать (планы)" (metaphorical, but specific).
Common Mistakes
- Using it for personal emotions incorrectly: 'The bad news derailed me.' (Better: 'threw me off' or 'upset me'). Overusing the literal meaning when the metaphorical is intended.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'derail' used metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not directly. You derail a person's plans, career, or train of thought, not the person themselves. 'The injury derailed his athletic career.'
Yes, 'derailment' is the standard noun for both literal (train crash) and metaphorical (disruption) senses.
'From' is common in the metaphorical sense: 'The scandal derailed him from his path to promotion.'
It is neutral but precise. Common in news, business, and academic writing. In informal speech, people might say 'throw off track' or 'mess up'.