front

adjectiveonly before noun

UK /frʌnt/

1
at, in, or on the front of something
You can go and play in the front garden.
A tall woman in the front row was blocking my view.
Stephen was still sitting in the front seat of the car.
I’ve broken one of my front teeth.
front legs/paws
Synonyms and related words
Behind or in front of something or someone
behind
in front
rear
2
playing near the other team’s goal and trying to score in a sport such as football
the front two/three:
The midfield players aren’t giving enough support to the front two.
Synonyms and related words
Describing actions and positions in sports
backhanded
defensive
foul
3
intended to hide an illegal or secret activity
Arms exports were conducted secretly using front companies.
Synonyms and related words
Secret, secretive and in secret
secret
secretive
surreptitious
4
linguisticsa front vowel is made in the front part of your mouth
Synonyms and related words
Terms in phonetics
affricate
alveolar
articulator

front

adjectiveonly before noun

US /frʌnt/

1
at, in, or on the front of something
You can go and play in the front yard.
A tall woman in the front row was blocking my view.
Stephen was still sitting in the front seat of the car.
front legs/paws
I’ve broken one of my front teeth.
Synonyms and related words
Behind or in front of something or someone
behind
in front
rear
2
intended to hide an illegal or secret activity
Arms exports were conducted secretly using front companies.
Synonyms and related words
Secret, secretive and in secret
secret
secretive
surreptitious
3
playing near the other team’s goal and trying to score in a sport such as soccer
the front two/three:
The midfield players aren’t giving enough support to the front two.
Synonyms and related words
Describing actions and positions in sports
backhanded
defensive
foul
4
linguisticsa front vowel is made in the front part of your mouth
Synonyms and related words
Terms in phonetics
affricate
alveolar
articulator

front

noun

UK /frʌnt/

Word Forms

singular	front
plural	fronts

1
countable often singularthe surface of something that faces forwards
house/shop fronts (=the parts that face the road)
the front of something:
Attach a recent photograph to the front of your application.
on the front:
a book with a picture of a tiger on the front
down the front:
The dress had buttons down the front.
Synonyms and related words
The outer parts of objects or spaces
apex
back
back end
1. 1a
  countable the part of your body that faces forwards, especially your chest
  I always sleep on my front.
  Synonyms and related words
  Other parts of the body from the outside
  abdomen
  back
  belly
2. 1b
  singular/uncountable the area outside the part of a building that faces forwards
  Go round to the front and I’ll let you in.
  Synonyms and related words
  Areas around buildings
  alley
  alleyway
  arcade
3. 1c
  countable an outer wall of a large building that faces in a particular direction
  the north/south/east/west front of something:
  Monet’s famous series of paintings of the west front of Rouen cathedral
  Synonyms and related words
  The walls of a building and relating to walls
  cavity wall
  chimney breast
  clerestory
2

the front
the part of something that is nearest the direction it faces
The glasses are in the cabinet near the front.
in/at the front (of something):
Tom was sitting at the front of the bus.
the man at the front of the queue
If you can’t see the blackboard, come and sit at the front.
He had signed his name in the front of the book.
Synonyms and related words
The outer parts of objects or spaces
apex
back
back end
3
countable a particular aspect of a situation
There’s bad news on the job front – two factories are going to close.
His main problems were in maths and science, but he has made progress on both fronts.
Synonyms and related words
General words for situations and circumstances
situation
circumstance
conditions
Synonyms and related words
Features and qualities
feature
quality
factor
4
countable an organization or activity that exists to hide an illegal or secret one
front for:
They kept a shop as a front for dealing in stolen goods.
Synonyms and related words
General words for organizations and institutions
structure
institution
bureau
5
singular behaviour that is not sincere because you want to hide your real feelings
He always pretended he didn’t care but we knew it was just a front.
put on a front:
She’s putting on a brave front, but she’s really very worried.
Synonyms and related words
Cheating, dishonest and insincere behaviour
dishonesty
deceit
corruption
6
countable a place where a large area of cold air meets a large area of warm air, often shown as a line on a weather map
a warm/cold front
Synonyms and related words
Weather patterns and air pressure
air pressure
anticyclone
atmospheric pressure
7
singular a political organization that fights for or against something
the National Liberation Front
Synonyms and related words
Relating to political parties and their supporters
apolitical
bipartisan
critic
8
countable a front line in a war
Synonyms and related words
Places where war and fighting take place
bastion
battlefield
beachhead
9
countable usually singularthe area along the edge of the sea or a lake in a town
a walk along the front
Synonyms and related words
Areas of land around rivers, lakes and seas
bank
basin
bay
See alsoseafront

phrases

in front

in (the) front

in front of someone

in front of something

out front

out (the) front

out in front

front

noun

US /frʌnt/

Word Forms

singular	front
plural	fronts

1
countable often singularthe surface of something that faces forward
house/building fronts (=the parts that face the road)
the front of something:
Attach a recent photograph to the front of your application.
on the front:
a book with a picture of a tiger on the front
down the front:
The dress had buttons down the front.
Synonyms and related words
The outer parts of objects or spaces
apex
back
back end
1. 1a
  countable the part of your body that faces forward, especially your chest
  I always sleep on my front.
  Synonyms and related words
  Other parts of the body from the outside
  abdomen
  back
  belly
2. 1b
  singular/uncountable the area outside the part of a building that faces forward
  Go round to the front and I’ll let you in.
  Synonyms and related words
  Areas around buildings
  alley
  alleyway
  arcade
3. 1c
  countable an outer wall of a large building that faces in a particular direction
  the north/south/east/west front of something:
  Monet’s famous series of paintings of the west front of Rouen cathedral
  Synonyms and related words
  The walls of a building and relating to walls
  baseboard
  cavity wall
  chimney breast
2

the front
the part of something that is nearest the direction it faces
The glasses are in the cabinet near the front.
in/at the front (of something):
Tom was sitting at the front of the bus.
the man at the front of the line
If you can’t see the blackboard, come and sit at the front.
He had signed his name in the front of the book.
Synonyms and related words
The outer parts of objects or spaces
apex
back
back end
3
countable a particular aspect of a situation
There’s bad news on the job front – two factories are going to close.
His main problems were in math and science, but he has made progress on both fronts.
Synonyms and related words
General words for situations and circumstances
situation
circumstance
conditions
Synonyms and related words
Features and qualities
feature
quality
factor
4
countable an organization or activity that exists to hide an illegal or secret one
front for:
They used the store as a front for dealing in stolen goods.
Synonyms and related words
General words for organizations and institutions
structure
institution
bureau
5
singular behavior that is not sincere because you want to hide your real feelings
He always pretended he didn’t care but we knew it was just a front.
put on a front:
She’s putting on a brave front, but she’s really very worried.
Synonyms and related words
Cheating, dishonest and insincere behavior
dishonesty
deceit
corruption
6
countable a place where a large area of cold air meets a large area of warm air, often shown as a line on a weather map
a warm/cold front
Synonyms and related words
Weather patterns and air pressure
air pressure
anticyclone
atmospheric pressure
7
singular a political organization that fights for or against something
the National Liberation Front
Synonyms and related words
Relating to political parties and their supporters
apolitical
bipartisan
coalition
8
countable a front line in a war
Synonyms and related words
Places where war and fighting take place
bastion
battlefield
beachhead
9
countable usually singularthe area along the edge of the sea or a lake in a town
a walk along the front
Synonyms and related words
Areas of land around rivers, lakes and seas
bank
basin
bay
See alsoseafront

phrases

in front

in (the) front

in front of someone

in front of something

out front

out (the) front

out in front

front

verb

UK /frʌnt/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	front
he/she/it	fronts
present participle	fronting
past tense	fronted
past participle	fronted

1
transitive to be the leader or main representative of a group
a financial consortium fronted by Charles Villiers
Synonyms and related words
To be in charge
control
govern
watch over
1. 1a
  to be the main singer or musician in a band
  I’d love to front my own jazz band.
  Synonyms and related words
  To sing
  sing
  sing along
  croon
2. 1b
  to be the main person who appears in a television programme and tells people what is happening in each part of the programme
  What is it like to front such a popular TV show?
  Synonyms and related words
  Presenting and working on television and radio programmes
  anchor
  bleep out
  bring in
2
intransitive/transitive if an area or building fronts something or fronts on or onto it, it has that thing at the front of it
The theatre is housed in a large building fronting Canning Street.
The estate fronts onto the bay.
Synonyms and related words
To be in a particular position or place
occupy
set
exist
1. 2a
  transitive to be in front of something
  A spacious forecourt fronts the handsome house.
  Synonyms and related words
  To be in a particular position or place
  occupy
  set
  exist

phrasal verbs

front for

front up

front

verb

US /frʌnt/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	front
he/she/it	fronts
present participle	fronting
past tense	fronted
past participle	fronted

1
intransitive/transitive if an area or building fronts something or fronts on or onto it, it has that thing at the front of it
The theater is housed in a large building fronting Canning Street.
The estate fronts onto the bay.
Synonyms and related words
To be in a particular position or place
occupy
set
exist
1. 1a
  transitive to be in front of something
  A spacious forecourt fronts the handsome house.
  Synonyms and related words
  To be in a particular position or place
  occupy
  set
  exist
2
transitive to be the leader or main representative of a group
a financial consortium fronted by Charles Villiers
Synonyms and related words
To be in charge
control
govern
watch over
1. 2a
  to be the main singer or musician in a band
  I’d love to front my own jazz band.
  Synonyms and related words
  To sing
  sing
  sing along
  croon
2. 2b
  to be the main person who appears in a television program and tells people what is happening in each part of the program
  What is it like to front such a popular TV show?
  Synonyms and related words
  Presenting and working on television and radio programs
  anchor
  bleep out
  bring in

phrasal verbs

front for

front up

front ​‌‌‌

front ​‌‌‌

front ​‌‌‌

the front

front ​‌‌‌

the front

front

front

front

front

front

front