front-loading

American  

[fruhnt-loh-ding] / ˈfrʌntˌloʊ dɪŋ /

adjective

1. designed to be loaded, supplied, or tended from the front.

   a front-loading washer.

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noun

1. the act or practice of concentrating something at the beginning of a process or period.

   With the front-loading of commissions on insurance premiums, salespeople have less incentive to ensure that customers keep their policies for a long time.

Etymology

Origin of front-loading

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

“That enables the family to pay continuously through their lives rather than front-loading the payments.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Additionally, some of the surprising March manufacturing strength could be due to front-loading and inventory-building.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Trade last year was also boosted by among other things "the front-loading of imports in North America ahead of the expected imposition of 'reciprocal' tariffs by the United States", the WTO said in its report.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

While tech companies tend to over-order chips to hedge against supply risks in boom periods, the front-loading could cause corrections across the supply chain if AI momentum slows, she notes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

Between the photo and the book, Scoob’s thoughts are whipping around faster than a load of clothes in their front-loading washer during the spin cycle, something he typically loves watching but is queasy about now.

From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone