Phrase guide

in the way

prep_phrase · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Obstructing, blocking, or hindering.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in someone's way

Antonyms: none provided

2

prep_phrase

Meaning 2

Around; present; able to be found.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

forming a hindrance, impediment, or obstruction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she might have succeeded in her ambition, had not circumstances been in her way

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in someone's way

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

33 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Cherokee: ᎠᎬᏱᏗᏣ (agvyiditsa) — obstructing
  • Chinese Cantonese: 阻住 (zo2 zyu6) — obstructing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 妨礙 /妨碍 (fáng'ài) — obstructing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 阻礙 /阻碍 (zǔ'ài) — obstructing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 造成不便 (zàochéng bùbiàn) — obstructing
  • Danish: i vejen — obstructing
  • Finnish: tiellä — obstructing
  • Finnish: edessä — obstructing
  • French: sur le passage — obstructing
  • French: gêner — obstructing
  • French: dans les pattes — obstructing
  • German: im Weg — obstructing
  • Ancient Greek: ἐμποδών (empodṓn) — obstructing
  • Hungarian: útban — obstructing
  • Icelandic: standa fyrir — obstructing
  • Icelandic: vera fyrir — obstructing
  • Italian: tra i piedi — obstructing
  • Japanese: 邪魔になる (jama ni naru) — obstructing
  • Latin: obvius — obstructing
  • Norwegian Bokmål: i veien — obstructing
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: i vegen — obstructing
  • Plautdietsch: emwäaj — obstructing
  • Polish: na przeszkodzie — obstructing
  • Portuguese: no caminho — obstructing
  • Romanian: în cale — obstructing
  • Russian: меша́ть (mešátʹ) — obstructing
  • Russian: на пути́ (na putí) — obstructing
  • Russian: под нога́ми (pod nogámi) — obstructing
  • Russian: препя́тствовать (prepjátstvovatʹ) — obstructing
  • Spanish: en todo el medio — obstructing
  • Spanish: en medio del camino — obstructing
  • Spanish: atravesado — obstructing
  • Swedish: i vägen — obstructing