The Way of the World is a 1700 play by William Congreve. It is a comedy of manners that follows the story of two lovers, Mirabell and Millamant, as they attempt to marry despite the obstacles placed in their way by their families. The term 'the way of the world' is used to describe the complex social conventions and expectations that govern society. The crossword solution for this term is ORBIT, which can be interpreted to mean the path or course of action that people must take in order to conform to societal norms.