front door

American  

noun

1. the main entrance to a house or other building, usually facing a street.

2. Informal. anything offering the best, most direct, or most straightforward approach to a place, situation, objective, etc.

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front door British  

noun

1. the main entrance to a house

2. an open legitimate means of obtaining a job, position, etc

   to get in by the front door

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Etymology

Origin of front door

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

Someone can be heard saying that exact phrase shortly after the man dressed as Jesus pulled open the front door of the Scientology building in Hollywood on April 25, according to video of the incident.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

"I find it bizarre I can sell from my front door, but not from my shed, which is less than a metre away from my front door," she added.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

Officers arrived to find the front door open and found a man wearing a black hoodie and pants inside the home, police said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Community health workers, doulas, peer specialists and others can serve as a front door to these programs.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

As Two had advised, he avoided the front door and followed the winding porch around back.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman