derailverb
uk/ˌdiːˈreɪl/us/ˌdiːˈreɪl/derail verb (TRAIN)
[ I or T ] If a train derails or is derailed, it comes off the railway tracks.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
On the road: accidents involving vehicles
- car crash
- collide
- collision
- crash
- crash-land
- fender bender
- head-on
- jackknife
- knock
- overshoot
- plough
- rear-end
- road toll
- run (sth) down
- run sb/sth over
- sideswipe
- skid
- stack up
- wipe
- write-off
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derail verb (PLAN)
[ T ] to prevent a plan or process from succeeding:
Renewed fighting threatens to derail the peace talks.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Preventing and impeding
- avert
- avoid
- avoidable
- bar
- be a drag on sb/sth idiom
- block sth out
- blot
- bottleneck
- fireproof
- hold out on sb
- hold sb/sth back
- hold/keep sb/sth at bay idiom
- holding pattern
- impede
- prevention
- prevention is better than cure idiom
- preventive
- prohibit
- pull
- scuttle
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derailment
noun [ C or U ] uk/ˌdiːˈreɪl.mənt/us/ˌdiːˈreɪl.mənt/
There's been a derailment just outside the city, and many people are feared dead.