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front-loading

American  
[fruhnt-loh-ding] / ˈfrʌntˌloʊ dɪŋ /

adjective

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

    a front-loading washer.


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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Boosted by U.S. imports of AI-related equipment, front-loading ahead of the imposition of tariffs and the modest scale of retaliation, global trade flows are estimated to have grown more rapidly than foreseen, increasing at a 3.4% clip that was unchanged from 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The single biggest factor was all the front-loading.”

From Los Angeles Times

AI-related demand is expected to continue supporting exports in 2026, though at a slower pace, as some of the momentum in 2025 was driven by front-loading ahead of U.S. tariffs.

From The Wall Street Journal

It also “reflected resilient global economy and export demand, some front-loading ahead of reciprocal tariff pressures and also broad-based gains across key sectors,” the chief economist adds.

From The Wall Street Journal

Boston Fed President Susan Collins has warned that the slowdown in price pressures has stalled, while Austan Goolsbee, president of the Chicago Fed, said Thursday that he felt “uneasy” about “front-loading” more rate reductions.

From Barron's