Meanings
- In the middle of a running body of water.
The raft got stuck in midstream.
- figurativelyDuring the execution of (something); in the middle of (an activity).
You can't abandon your hopes in midstream.
3 more examples
All political lives, unless they are cut off in midstream at a happy juncture, end in failure, because that is the nature of politics and of human affairs.
1998 February 12, Enoch Powell, quotee, “Obituary: Enoch Powell”, in The Economist, →ISSNBarclays UK chief quits in midstream [title]
2005 December 8, Jill Treanor, “Barclays UK chief quits in midstream”, in The GuardianWait, **THAT** is the reason? I thought the other was the reason? Pouring out wrath and finger of God aren't the same thing. Even though I know you'll claim they are. You've just changed reasons in mid-stream.
2006 April 27, Steve Goldfarb, “Spilling out drops of wine at the Seder”, in soc.culture.jewish.moderated (Usenet)
Translations
Dutch halverwege
- halverwegeduring the execution of something
Finnish kesken kaiken, kesken
- kesken kaikenduring the execution of something
- keskenduring the execution of something
French en cours de route
- en cours de routeduring the execution of something
Italian in corso d'opera
- in corso d'operaduring the execution of something
Polish w połowie
- w połowieduring the execution of something
Cite this entry
in midstream. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20midstream
“in midstream.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20midstream. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in midstream,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20midstream.
Source: in midstream on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.