foreground

fore·ground | \ ˈfȯr-ˌgrau̇nd

Definition of foreground

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the part of a scene or representation that is nearest to and in front of the spectator Objects in the foreground seem larger than those in the background.

2 : a position of prominence : forefront We want this issue to be in the foreground.

3 : a level of computer processing at which the processor responds immediately to input to a designated high-priority task — compare background

foreground

verb

foregrounded; foregrounding; foregrounds

Definition of foreground (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to bring to the foreground especially : to give prominence or emphasis to

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about foreground

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Examples of foreground in a Sentence

Noun We want the issue to be in the foreground. Verb Public discussion has foregrounded the issue of health care. repeatedly foregrounded his experience in international affairs in the course of his campaign for the presidency

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Another, of a nearby target range — human silhouettes at a distance, mountains of expended shotgun cartridges in the foreground — is blunt and outrageous (why do border agents need target practice?). — BostonGlobe.com, "Through Jan. 5. Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., Cambridge.," 13 Sep. 2019 Spectacular views from the lodge take it all in, from the trees in the foreground to Zimbabwe, on the river’s far side. — Anne Z. Cooke, chicagotribune.com, "Wide-eyed in Zambia: Africa’s last great place," 11 Sep. 2019 And Android 10 ships with special support for foldable smartphones, with more robust multi-screen support, display switching, and a reworked app lifecycle that will allow multiple foreground apps to run simultaneously. — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, "Android 10 launches today, and Pixel phones get the day one update," 3 Sep. 2019 Similarly, Android 10 places new restrictions on apps' ability to move from running in the background to asserting themselves in the foreground for users. — Louise Matsakis, WIRED, "The Android 10 Privacy and Security Upgrades You Should Know About," 22 Aug. 2019 Because the scene utilizes bokeh as a cue to focus on the foreground, however, your eye might not immediately notice. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "How to use Paint 3D's Magic Select tool to edit out photobombers from your photos," 29 July 2019 The architectural details, including a ladder and door for delivering gas pellets and a metal tube with wire mesh that defused the gas, foreground the idea of intentionality: Someone designed, planned and made these things for a specific purpose. — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, "Will our migrant detention cages be studied in tomorrow’s museums?," 18 July 2019 Amid these giant structures and inhospitable foregrounds, Schwartz celebrates a collection of ragtag users including a sweaty jogger, a parking lot attendant, skateboarders and tailgaters picnicking under a grimy bridge. — Steven Litt, cleveland.com, "Cuyahoga 50 photo shows uncover fresh takes on the recovery of a once combustible river," 30 June 2019 In this July 15, 2014 file photo, hikers gather in the foreground as climbers use the assistance of cables to scale Half Dome in Yosemite National Park National Park in California's Sierra Nevada. — Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, "Woman falls 500 feet to her death from cables at Half Dome in Yosemite," 6 Sep. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb By foregrounding dreams, instead of relegating them to colorful secondary material in a more conventional history, Beradt allows the fantastical details to speak louder than any interpretation. — Mireille Juchau, The New Yorker, "How Dreams Change Under Authoritarianism," 7 Nov. 2019 Burns wisely foregrounds bluegrass music, which is too often caricatured as hidebound and relegated to a single chapter in genre histories. — David Cantwell, The New Yorker, "Ken Burns’s Delightful “Country Music” Gets the Big Things Mostly Right," 15 Sep. 2019 The theatrical elements give P2 an air of surreality, while also foregrounding its status as, well, a game. — Julie Muncy, WIRED, "Pathologic 2 and What Games Can Learn From Low-Tech Art," 7 June 2019 By making him and Jackson into mismatched partners on a crime-solving mission, the movie foregrounds generational conflict, which brings a sense of the actual change that eludes Men in Black: International. — Jesse Hassenger, The Verge, "Men in Black: International and Shaft show the limits of modern film franchises," 21 June 2019 Fernández Mallo’s work arrives in the United States as part of a procession of books that have foregrounded the velocity of their composition. — Christopher Beha, Harper's magazine, "Mallo My!," 10 Mar. 2019 And at the end of the episode, Bonnie, upset with her mother following a tense dinner, asks her to leave, though Elizabeth stays on anyway — thereby foregrounding their complicated relationship and downplaying the question of race. — Greg Braxton, latimes.com, "‘Big Little Lies’ is less white this season. That doesn't mean it’s smart about race," 16 June 2019 Gymnastics is a sport where aesthetics are foregrounded. — Dvorameyers, Longreads, "The Gymnast’s Position," 5 June 2019 Newsletter Sign-up Mr. Karpeles foregrounds what Czapski himself would have wished to be his legacy: his painting. — Cynthia Haven, WSJ, "Book Review: Shouldering the Century’s Burden," 25 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'foreground.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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