derail the relationship

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "derail the relationship" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing actions or events that negatively impact or disrupt a relationship between individuals or groups. Example: "His constant dishonesty began to derail the relationship, causing trust issues between them."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

When Chen Guangcheng, a human rights lawyer, turned up at the American Embassy in Beijing in May 2012 during a visit by Mrs. Clinton, it was left to Mr. Cui to find an equitable outcome to an awkward situation for China that threatened to derail the relationship between the countries.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

If you conclude you're not the one derailing the relationship with your boss, only then should you openly suggest that the two of you don't seem to interact well and that you'd like to remedy the situation.

Harvard Business Review

Making it work will be about developing mature relationships and dealing with differences without derailing the relationship," she said.

BBC

The dispatches also show Chinese concerns that domestic politics in the US could derail the economic relationship this year.

The Guardian

This week's anniversary of Tiananmen Square is a reminder that internal conditions in China have the potential to derail the bilateral relationship.

The Guardian - Opinion

With Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other American officials scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday, China and the United States both appear to be under enormous pressure to find a resolution that does not overshadow the talks, known as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, or derail the broader relationship.

The New York Times

It takes all members of an organization to act with consistency in all its interactions with its customers, and just one bad experience with the organization can derail the entire relationship.

Forbes

The seemingly minor incident became such an issue that it threatened to derail the normally friendly bilateral relationship.

Huffington Post

The study, "Derailed by Diversity?: Purpose Buffers the Relationship Between Ethnic Composition on Trains and Passenger Negative Mood," was published online Aug. 27 in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and was co-authored by Patrick Hill of Carleton University.

Cornell University

Mr. Bhagat's 2008 book was about the adventurous quest of three Gujarati boys to make it in business — an aim derailed by, among other events, the relationship one of them develops with a lonely Muslim kid, all of this happening against the backdrop of a religiously divided city.

The New York Times

We anticipated that this relationship would be mediated through problems in affect regulation, consistent with the view that the presence of abuse in the parent child relationship would derail the development of adaptive affect regulation.

Child Abuse & Neglect

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "derail the relationship" when you want to emphasize how a specific event or action caused a relationship to go off course or fail. Be specific about the event and its direct consequences on the relationship.

Common error

Avoid using "derail the relationship" in very casual or informal settings. Simpler terms like "ruin" or "mess up" might be more appropriate in everyday conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "derail the relationship" functions as a verb phrase, where "derail" acts as the main verb, modifying the noun "relationship". It describes an action that negatively impacts or disrupts the progress or stability of a relationship. Ludwig AI confirms this usage in its analysis.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "derail the relationship" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that describes how specific events or actions can negatively impact a relationship. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and common usage. While the phrase isn't extremely frequent, occurring uncommonly in written English, it's consistently used across different contexts such as news, formal business settings and academic writing. Remember to use this phrase when there's a specific action causing a relationship breakdown. If you want to express similar ideas, you can consider alternatives such as "undermine the relationship" or "damage the relationship" to add nuances to your expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

undermine the relationship

Implies a gradual weakening or erosion of the relationship, rather than a sudden disruption.

damage the relationship

Suggests harm has been inflicted, possibly repairable, but still negative.

disrupt the relationship

Focuses on interrupting the normal flow or progress of the relationship.

jeopardize the relationship

Highlights the risk or potential for harm to the relationship.

sabotage the relationship

Suggests deliberate action to destroy or damage the relationship.

wreck the relationship

Implies a more forceful and destructive impact than simply "derailing".

destroy the relationship

Signifies complete ruin and end of the relationship.

imperil the relationship

Similar to jeopardize, but possibly implying a greater degree of danger.

threaten the relationship

Indicates a potential danger or risk to the relationship's stability.

end the relationship

Focuses solely on the termination of the relationship, without necessarily implying the reason.

FAQs

How can I use "derail the relationship" in a sentence?

You can use "derail the relationship" to describe how a specific event or behavior negatively impacted a relationship. For example, "His constant dishonesty began to derail the relationship, causing trust issues between them."

What can I say instead of "derail the relationship"?

You can use alternatives like "undermine the relationship", "damage the relationship", or "disrupt the relationship" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "derail the relationship" or "damage the relationship"?

Both "derail the relationship" and "damage the relationship" are correct, but they carry slightly different nuances. "Derail" suggests a sudden change of course, while "damage" implies a more gradual negative impact.

What's the difference between "derail the relationship" and "end the relationship"?

"Derail the relationship" implies a specific event caused problems leading to the relationship's decline, whereas "end the relationship" simply refers to the termination of the relationship, without necessarily indicating the cause.