# derailment

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #41,592

## Definitions
1. The action of a locomotive or train leaving the rails along which it runs.
2. An instance of diverting a conversation or debate from its original topic.
3. An instance of thwarting or frustrating something.
4. A pattern of discourse (in speech or writing) that is a sequence of unrelated or only remotely related ideas.

## Etymology
From French déraillement.

## Common misspellings (15)
`dderailment`, `dearilment`, `derailemnt`, `deraillment`, `derailmennt`, `derailmentt`, `derailmetn`, `derailmment`, `derailmnet`, `deraimlent`, `deraliment`, `derialment`, `derrailment`, `dreailment`, `edrailment`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/derailment