stand in the way

verb

To impede the progress or achievement (of).

“They won't let their parents stand in the way of their love.”

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Meanings

verbstand in the way (third-person singular simple present stands in the way, present participle standing in the way, simple past and past participle stood in the way)

present singular third person stands in the way · participle present standing in the way · participle past stood in the way · past stood in the way

  1. To impede the progress or achievement (of).

    They won't let their parents stand in the way of their love.

    3 more examples

    I've committed so much to this business, and nothing will stand in the way.

    Standing in the way of control / You'll live your life / Survive the only way that you know

    2007, “Standing in the Way of Control”, performed by Gossip

    Any municipality that has gone so far as to abolish its police department is already engaged in a groundbreaking process and these difficulties should not stand in the city's way.

    2021 March 10, “Prosecuting in the Police-less City: Police Abolition's Impact on Local Prosecutors”, in Harvard Law Review, volume 134, page 1880

Translations

German im Weg stehen
  • im Weg stehento impede the progress of
Polish stać na drodze, stawać na drodze
  • stać na drodzeto impede the progress of
  • stawać na drodzeto impede the progress of
  • stanąć na drodzeto impede the progress of
  • stać na przeszkodzieto impede the progress of
  • stanąć na przeszkodzieto impede the progress of
  • stać na zawadzieto impede the progress of
  • stanąć na zawadzieto impede the progress of
  • wchodzić w paradęto impede the progress of
  • wejść w paradęto impede the progress of
Swedish stå i vägen
  • stå i vägento impede the progress of
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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