forefront

American  

[fawr-fruhnt, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌfrʌnt, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

• forefronts
  plural

1. the foremost part or place.

2. the position of greatest importance or prominence.

   in the forefront of today's writers.

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forefront British  

/ ˈfɔːˌfrʌnt /

noun

1. the extreme front

2. the position of most prominence, responsibility, or action

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• forefronts
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

forefront forefronts

Lesser-known campuses sit at the forefront of these enrollment challenges, though cracks are spreading throughout.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

"AI, data and data centres are going to be at the forefront of the new Industrial Revolution," said John, co-founder of Tramshed Tech.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

The leader of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, the Washington-backed group at the forefront of the battle against the Islamic State jihadist group, announced their dissolution on Tuesday under a deal with the government.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

Another place where Dulli’s vocals are at the forefront is on “My Lover,” where the lead vocal has a stylized texture that feels like Dulli even if it doesn’t sound like him.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

Andrew was not a member of the High Organ and had not been in the forefront of the island leadership, although we considered the possibility that the authorities did not know this.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Though it forefronts Schuyler’s central question — Is the goal of racial progress the ennoblement of Blackness or its disappearance into a “chromatic democracy”? — its tone is jumpy and its storytelling lumpy.

From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2022

"What we've got here is the failure of talks and the president taking action on forefronts to help for discrete groups," Navarro said.

From Fox News ● Aug. 9, 2020

Riddle’s and Salahuddin’s comedy forefronts the farcical nature of economic struggle, but doesn’t hide the rougher aspects of Englewood life.

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2019

Indeed, the film’s primary themes are showbiz success and parenting — whether the former creates more problems and the latter often forefronts an inability to solve them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2017

The others will succeed, just as they have succeeded elsewhere on the forefronts of civilization; the pity of it is that their lot may not be made easier, surer.

From In the Oregon Country Out-Doors in Oregon, Washington, and California Together with some Legendary Lore, and Glimpses of the Modern West in the Making by George Palmer Putnam

Related Words

• cutting edge
• fore
• front line
• leading edge
• limelight
• vanguard