forefront
Americannoun
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the foremost part or place.
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the position of greatest importance or prominence.
in the forefront of today's writers.
noun
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the extreme front
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the position of most prominence, responsibility, or action
Etymology
Origin of forefront
First recorded in 1425–75, forefront is from the late Middle English word forfrount, forefrount. See fore-, front
Explanation
If you're at the forefront, you're either the very first to do something or you're in the most important position. Inventing an effective new vaccine would put a scientist at the forefront of modern medicine. The word forefront has been used since the 1600s to mean "front part." Originally, it referred to architecture — you might have commented on the way windows were placed on the forefront of a building, for example. Later, it was used to describe the soldiers at the very front of an advancing army. Today when we talk about the forefront, we usually mean the highest ranking place or position: "She's an amazing comic book artist who's at the forefront of contemporary graphic art."
Vocabulary lists containing forefront
The Gravity of Us
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Harry Truman's Inauguration Address
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The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Seoul, which has been at the forefront of the rally this year, dropped almost two percent, while Tokyo was off more than one percent, having also hit fresh new peaks.
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
It’s a worthy mission—and D.C.’s demographics similarly fit the goal of increasing the diversity of the first contests and positioning Black voices at the forefront of scrutinizing the party’s candidates.
From Slate • May 26, 2026
Carl Rowlinson is at the forefront of a woodland restoration project in Cornwall called Plant One, and recently visited the island to learn and share ideas.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
But in 2026, economies in Asia are at the forefront, since the imports a larger share of their energy needs through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains largely blocked.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
I nodded and tried to keep the words “strong” and “strategic” in the forefront of my mind, but I was nervous.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
