1
a
: forehead
also
: the whole face
b
: external and often feigned appearance especially in the face of danger or adversity
2
3
: a side of a building
especially
: the side that contains the principal entrance
4
a
: the forward part or surface
b(1)
: frontage
(2)
: a beach promenade at a seaside resort
c
d
: the boundary between two dissimilar air masses
5
archaic
: beginning
6
a(1)
: a position ahead of a person or of the foremost part of a thing
(2)
—used as a call by a hotel desk clerk in summoning a bellhop
b
: a position of leadership or superiority
7
a
: a person, group, or thing used to mask the identity or true character or activity of the actual controlling agent
b
: a person who serves as the nominal head or spokesman of an enterprise or group to lend it prestige
fronted; fronting; fronts
1
: to have the front or principal side adjacent to something
2
a
: to act or serve as a cover or front (see front entry 1 sense 7a) for something or someone
… a new initiative targeting brothels and massage parlors fronting for sex trafficking rings.—
St. John Barned-Smith
St. John Barned-Smith
b
US, informal
: to assume a fake or false personality to conceal one's true identity and character
Don't front, don't put something out there that you feel isn't realistic and doesn't portray who you are.—Chloë Grace Moretz
Chloë Grace MoretzLook, we all know you got your heart broken. Stop fronting and write a love song.—Allison Keyes
Allison Keyes1
a
: confront
went to the woods because I wished … to front only the essential facts of life—H. D. Thoreau
H. D. Thoreau
b
: to appear before
daily fronted him in some fresh splendor—Alfred Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson2
a
: to be in front of
a lawn fronting the house
b
: to be the leader of (a musical group)
appeared as a soloist and fronted bands
3
: to face toward or have frontage on
the house fronts the street
4
: to supply a front to
fronted the building with bricks
5
a
: to articulate (a sound) with the tongue farther forward
b
: to move (a word or phrase) to the beginning of a sentence
6
basketball
: to play in front of (an opposing player) rather than between the player and the basket
7
: to give (someone) the money, material, etc. needed to do something : advance sense 7
She fronted them a loan to get the start-up going.
1
a
: of, relating to, or situated at the front
b
: acting as a front
front company
2
: articulated at or toward the front of the oral passage
front vowels
3
: constituting the first nine holes of an 18-hole golf course
front
adverb
Synonyms
Examples of front in a Sentence
Noun
the front of the church features a magnificent stained-glass window
that smile is just a front—I don't think she actually likes me at all
Verb
The house fronts Main Street.
The house fronts on Main Street.
He is now fronting a different band.
He fronts a talk show.
Adjective
There's a small statue on the front lawn.
He keeps his wallet in his front pocket.
Recent Examples on the WebDavid Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2024
Also, sitting in front of a wood-burning fire with a glass of wine.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Apr. 2024
Read the full story to get tips on what to look for when standing in front of a work of art.
—Life Kit, NPR, 6 Apr. 2024
Back on Seventh Street, a guy who looked like a super was standing in front of a building, talking on his phone.
—Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Could Angels fans surprise Rendon with an ovation during his first at-bat in front of a home crowd this season?
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The simplest ones say ICON INAUGURAL ’24 on the back and the family name on the front.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
The war, in which Scholz had seen action on two fronts, had shattered the sentimental Romanticism projected onto traditional German rural life.
—Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Protesters reached the front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home in Jerusalem, and Israeli police say a Molotov cocktail was thrown.
—NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Jamila Stewart, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024
Bon Jovi scores the second-loftiest opening of the week, as a charity single fronted by Mark Knopfler debuts at No. 1.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The catch is, the vocalist, known for her powerful voice and onstage attitude, will front the band for four dates only.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
If Trump is unable to secure the cash — or unless the appeals court agrees to grant his motion to delay fronting the money until after the appeal is heard — New York Attorney General Letitia James may begin seizing some of his assets to finance his obligation to the state.
—Andrew Torgan, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
The image fronts limited-edition CDs and vinyls of the album.
Music
Beyoncé: Upcoming release ‘ain’t a Country album.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
That band, however, broke up in 1987, and Staley briefly fronted a funk band called the Black Holes.
—Spin Contributor, SPIN, 22 Mar. 2024
The Blues Brothers band was two white guys fronting a mostly white ensemble that played historically Black music.
—John Belushi, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
The Boca Raton’s centerpiece is the Harborside Pool Club, a four-acre oasis fronting Lake Boca that flaunts three pools that will thrill both families and adults seeking solace.
—Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024
Kristen Hartke, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
The walls and walkway leading to the front door were grimy.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Safety and driver assist features Adaptive cruise control Super Cruise hands-free driving
Blind spot alert and assist
Traffic sign recognition
Lane keeping alert and assist
New design, interactive lights
Every exterior panel but the doors is new, along with new front and rear lights.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 9 Apr. 2024
Terrell, the officer of the engine, was in the front passenger seat.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2024
The driver was identified as William Tyson Neumann, 18, of Augusta, Ga., and the front passenger was identified as Hunter Sanford, 18, of Pineville.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2024
When measuring shoulder room, CR measures from door panel to door panel across the front passenger’s seating position.
—Logan Carter / Jalopnik, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024
Many Indiana viewers will have a front row seat to watch the rare phenomenon.
—Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Apr. 2024
This lent itself perfectly to the Mistral, which, unlike most contemporary Bugattis—with their front/rear duotone color split—sports a horizontal line at its lower third that makes an ideal cut point for such a top/bottom palette.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
Noun
Then, this past January, a trailer appeared online with a Universal logo attached to the front and a spring release date.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2024
Also, sitting in front of a wood-burning fire with a glass of wine.
—Noo Saro-Wiwa, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Apr. 2024
Read the full story to get tips on what to look for when standing in front of a work of art.
—Life Kit, NPR, 6 Apr. 2024
Back on Seventh Street, a guy who looked like a super was standing in front of a building, talking on his phone.
—Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
Could Angels fans surprise Rendon with an ovation during his first at-bat in front of a home crowd this season?
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
The simplest ones say ICON INAUGURAL ’24 on the back and the family name on the front.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
The war, in which Scholz had seen action on two fronts, had shattered the sentimental Romanticism projected onto traditional German rural life.
—Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2024
Protesters reached the front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home in Jerusalem, and Israeli police say a Molotov cocktail was thrown.
—NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Verb
Taking over the property’s penthouse suite, which makes a hotel dinner party feel like a warm gathering at someone’s ultra-luxe apartment, the brand’s Erik Torstensson celebrated the new campaign fronted by Amelia Gray, who co-hosted the evening.
—Jamila Stewart, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024
Bon Jovi scores the second-loftiest opening of the week, as a charity single fronted by Mark Knopfler debuts at No. 1.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The catch is, the vocalist, known for her powerful voice and onstage attitude, will front the band for four dates only.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
If Trump is unable to secure the cash — or unless the appeals court agrees to grant his motion to delay fronting the money until after the appeal is heard — New York Attorney General Letitia James may begin seizing some of his assets to finance his obligation to the state.
—Andrew Torgan, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
The image fronts limited-edition CDs and vinyls of the album.
Music
Beyoncé: Upcoming release ‘ain’t a Country album.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
That band, however, broke up in 1987, and Staley briefly fronted a funk band called the Black Holes.
—Spin Contributor, SPIN, 22 Mar. 2024
The Blues Brothers band was two white guys fronting a mostly white ensemble that played historically Black music.
—John Belushi, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
The Boca Raton’s centerpiece is the Harborside Pool Club, a four-acre oasis fronting Lake Boca that flaunts three pools that will thrill both families and adults seeking solace.
—Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Eunice Fried, 94, wrote ‘What Every Woman Should Know About Wine’ to teach women to take charge of the bottle
NEW YORK — No fewer than six bottles of champagne nestle in Eunice Fried’s refrigerator, and several dozen other bottles of wine fill a 6-foot-tall rack by the front door.
—Kristen Hartke, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
The walls and walkway leading to the front door were grimy.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Safety and driver assist features Adaptive cruise control Super Cruise hands-free driving
Blind spot alert and assist
Traffic sign recognition
Lane keeping alert and assist
New design, interactive lights
Every exterior panel but the doors is new, along with new front and rear lights.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 9 Apr. 2024
Terrell, the officer of the engine, was in the front passenger seat.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2024
The driver was identified as William Tyson Neumann, 18, of Augusta, Ga., and the front passenger was identified as Hunter Sanford, 18, of Pineville.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2024
When measuring shoulder room, CR measures from door panel to door panel across the front passenger’s seating position.
—Logan Carter / Jalopnik, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024
Many Indiana viewers will have a front row seat to watch the rare phenomenon.
—Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Apr. 2024
This lent itself perfectly to the Mistral, which, unlike most contemporary Bugattis—with their front/rear duotone color split—sports a horizontal line at its lower third that makes an ideal cut point for such a top/bottom palette.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'front.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near front
Cite this Entry
“Front.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/front. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
front
1 of 3 noun1
: outer often pretended appearance
put up a good front
2
: a region in which active warfare is taking place
3
: the forward part or surface
the front of a shirt
the front of the house
4
: the boundary between two dissimilar air masses
5
: someone or something that hides the true identity of those who are in control
a front for organized crime
front
2 of 3 verb
: to have the front or face toward
the cottage fronting on the lake
the house fronts the street
front
3 of 3 adjective
: of, relating to, or situated at the front
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