up-front

1 of 2

adjective

ˌəp-ˈfrənt 

ˈəp-ˌfrənt

variants or upfront

: being or coming in or at the front: such as

a(1)

: frank, forthright

were up-front about their suspicions

(2)

: being in a conspicuous or leading position

b

: paid or payable in advance

up-front cash

c

: playing in a front line (as in football)

up front

2 of 2

adverb

1

: in or at the front

chose a seat up front

2

: in advance

paid up front

3

: in an up-front manner : frankly, forthrightly

expressed his doubts up front

Synonyms of up-front

Adjective

• outspoken
• honest
• candid
• frank
• straightforward
• forthcoming
• forthright

Examples of up-front in a Sentence

Adjective

some hurt feelings could have been spared if he'd been more up-front about whom he was inviting to the party

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

They were forced to cancel those dates and reschedule for spring 2026, losing tens of thousands of dollars in up-front costs and non-refundable fees. —Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026

To prepare for thousands in up-front costs, a health savings account could be a good option for you. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026

Adverb

EVs allow the drivers who can afford a costly car ($11,000 more on average up front than a traditional vehicle, though lifetime operating costs are lower) to no longer concern themselves with the geography, politics, and common culture of gas stations. —Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2026

Communities plan and pay for those projects up front and then are reimbursed by FEMA. —Lauren Sommer, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1945, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1937, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for up-front

• affront
• confront
• exeunt
• forefront
• lakefront
• manhunt
• sederunt
• battlefront
• oceanfront
• riverfront
• waterfront
• blunt