In the way or on the way?

In the way

If something or someone is in the way or in my/his/our way, it is in the space which someone needs for a particular movement or action:

• She can’t do her dance because the table is in the way. Can you help me move it?

On the way

We use on the way or on my/his/our way (to) when we talk about the route, direction or path to somewhere:

• We could leave early and have breakfast on the way. (during our journey to somewhere)
• I was on my way to Peter’s house when I met him in the street. (I was going to Peter’s house when I met him)

We can use on the way to (plus a noun or an -ing form of a verb) to mean ‘close to’ doing or completing something:

• Brazil is on the way to becoming one of the world’s strongest economies.