get in the way

verb

To obstruct, hinder, or interfere.

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Meanings

verbget in the way (third-person singular simple present gets in the way, present participle getting in the way, simple past got in the way, past participle (UK) got in the way or (US) gotten in the way)

present singular third person gets in the way · participle present getting in the way · past got in the way · UK participle past got in the way · US participle past gotten in the way · alternative get in one's way

  1. idiomaticintransitiveTo obstruct, hinder, or interfere.

    If we don't let nothing get in our way / We can make it to a brighter day / But I don't wanna miss the sign / So I need your light with mine

    1973, Ashford & Simpson, “I Need Your Light”, in Gimme Someting Real
    1 more example

    Ideology constantly gets in the way. For the Government, unions are militant "Trots" out to cause political trouble. For the unions, the private sector is a grasping, evil leech. Neither is true.

    2022 August 24, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Rail strikes deadlock”, in RAIL, number 964, page 3

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
behedgefrustratehinderhurtincommodeinhibitlimitthwart

Translations

Ancient Greek ἐπιπροσθέω
  • ἐπιπροσθέω (epiprosthéō)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
Chinese Mandarin 妨礙 /妨碍, 阻礙 /阻碍
  • 妨礙 /妨碍 (fáng'ài)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • 阻礙 /阻碍 (zǔ'ài)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
German stören, dazwischenkommen
  • störento obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • dazwischenkommento obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • hindernto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • behindernto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
Japanese 妨げる, 邪魔になる
  • 妨げる (samatageru)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • 邪魔になる (jama-ni naru)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
Latin impedio
  • impedioto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
Polish stać na drodze, stawać na drodze
  • stać na drodzeto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • stawać na drodzeto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • stanąć na drodzeto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • stać na przeszkodzieto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • stanąć na przeszkodzieto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • stać na zawadzieto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • stanąć na zawadzieto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • wchodzić w paradęto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • wejść w paradęto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
Portuguese atrapalhar
  • atrapalharto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
Russian меша́ть, помеша́ть
  • меша́ть (mešátʹ)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • помеша́ть (pomešátʹ)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • препя́тствовать (prepjátstvovatʹ)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • воспрепя́тствовать (vosprepjátstvovatʹ)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
Spanish interponerse, estorbar [al]
  • interponerseto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • estorbar [al] (hacer algo)to obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • no dejarto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
  • no permitirto obstruct, hinder, or interfere
Cite this entry
APA

get in the way. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20in%20the%20way

MLA

“get in the way.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20in%20the%20way. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “get in the way,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/get%20in%20the%20way.

Source: get in the way on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.