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• up-front
  up-front

  adjective

  invested or paid in advance or as beginning capital.
• up front
  up front

  In the forward section, as of an airplane or theater. For example, We'd like two seats as far up front as possible . [First half of 1900s]

up-front

American  

[uhp-fruhnt] / ˈʌpˈfrʌnt /

adjective

1. invested or paid in advance or as beginning capital.

   an up-front fee of five percent and an additional five percent when the job is done.

2. honest; candid; straightforward.

   He's very up-front about discussing his past.

3. conspicuous or prominent.

   The company has an up-front position in its industry.

4. located in the front or forward section.

   to request up-front seats on a plane.

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adverb

1. as an initial investment, beginning capital, or an advance payment.

   They'll need a half-million dollars up-front before opening the business.

2. before other payments, deductions, or returning a profit.

   Estimated operating expenses will be deducted up-front.

up front Idioms  

1. In the forward section, as of an airplane or theater. For example, We'd like two seats as far up front as possible . [First half of 1900s]

2. Paid in advance, as in We need at least half of the money for the production up front . [ Colloquial ; c. 1930]

3. Candid, direct, as in Now tell me straight up front what you think of this outfit . [Second half of 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of up-front

First recorded in 1965–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

up-front up front

The deal does require Akamai to make up-front investments before the Anthropic money starts rolling in.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

Under the joint venture agreement, the investment group will provide up to C$700 million in up-front cash to support Enbridge’s sanctioned Aspen Point and Sunrise expansion projects for the Westcoast natural gas pipeline system.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

In addition to gaining the new "call-in" powers, mayors are set to be able to grant "up-front permission", which the government says will allow building to begin "without a developer having to apply".

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

The money can be used to pay up-front for equipment that utilities will need to build the plants, which are expected to be co-owned by utilities and nuclear designer Westinghouse.

From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026

“For”—using you, lying to you by omission, flirting with him behind your back, thinking about him pretty much every second that I spend with you—“not being up-front about it.”

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

At around 15, he and his pal Neil Zlozower attended a concert and were struck by the photographers up front covering the show.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

Rather than something to be played down, working yourself to the bone is to be bragged about—and advertised for up front.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

That's what I wanted and needed from the car to find that last step to fight up front.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

He opted to start with German Kai Havertz up front despite the forward returning early from international duty after picking up a hamstring issue, leaving Viktor Gyokeres on the bench again.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

Lil chinged open the register and slid them into the drawer, and I went over to the refrigerator in back and got two bottles of Coke, took their caps off, and brought them up front.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt

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