in the way

prepositional phrase

Obstructing, blocking, or hindering.

“I really wanted a clear photo of the president, but all the journalists were in the way.”

Similar
in someone's wayin the road
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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticObstructing, blocking, or hindering.

    I really wanted a clear photo of the president, but all the journalists were in the way.

    1 more example

    The pre-grouping railway managements were very chary about allowing other people's trains on their territory, and there were many instances where running powers granted by Act of Parliament were never actually excercised because of difficulties deliberately put in the way.

    1955 July, R. S. McNaught, “"Foreign" Engine Workings”, in Railway Magazine, page 497

    Synonyms: in someone's way, in the road

  2. datedAround; present; able to be found.

    First thing on the Monday morning, I went to the haberdasher's shop, opposite Mr. Trinkle's, the great upholsterer's in Cheapside. "Mr. Phibbs in the way?"

    1850 September 14, [Charles Dickens], “Three “Detective” Anecdotes”, in Charles Dickens, editor, Household Words. A Weekly Journal., volume I, number 25, London: Office, […], →OCLC

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseObstructing, blocking, or hindering.

Similar
in someone's wayin the road

More synonyms by meaning

adverbforming a hindrance, impediment, or obstruction

Similar
in someone's way
Also see
in someone's wayin the road

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Ancient Greek ἐμποδών
  • ἐμποδών (empodṓn)obstructing
Chinese Cantonese 阻住
  • 阻住 (zo² zyu⁶)obstructing
Chinese Mandarin 妨礙 /妨碍, 阻礙 /阻碍
  • 妨礙 /妨碍 (fáng'ài)obstructing
  • 阻礙 /阻碍 (zǔ'ài)obstructing
  • 造成不便 (zàochéng bùbiàn)obstructing
Danish i vejen
  • i vejenobstructing
Finnish tiellä, edessä
  • tielläobstructing
  • edessäobstructing
French sur le passage, gêner
  • sur le passageobstructing
  • gênerobstructing
  • dans les pattesobstructing
German im Weg
  • im Wegobstructing
Hungarian útban
  • útbanobstructing
Icelandic standa fyrir, vera fyrir
  • standa fyrirobstructing
  • vera fyrirobstructing
Italian tra i piedi
  • tra i piediobstructing
Japanese 邪魔になる
  • 邪魔になる (jama ni naru)obstructing
Latin obvius
  • obviusobstructing
Norwegian Bokmål i veien
  • i veienobstructing
Polish na przeszkodzie
  • na przeszkodzieobstructing
Portuguese no caminho
  • no caminhoobstructing
Romanian în cale
  • în caleobstructing
Russian меша́ть, на пути́
  • меша́ть (mešátʹ)obstructing
  • на пути́ (na putí)obstructing
  • под нога́ми (pod nogámi)obstructing
  • препя́тствовать (prepjátstvovatʹ)obstructing
Spanish en todo el medio, en medio del camino
  • en todo el medioobstructing
  • en medio del caminoobstructing
  • atravesadoobstructing
Swedish i vägen
  • i vägenobstructing
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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