upfront
Britishadjective
adverb
Explanation
If you're an open and straightforward person, you're upfront. And if your cousin asks what you think of his weird new haircut, you'll be upfront with him and tell the truth. If you prefer being flattered, you might not appreciate your brother's upfront pronouncement that your new pants are way too small or you've got spinach in your teeth. But most of us like knowing that our friends are being upfront and honest with us. Another way to use this adjective is to mean "in advance" when you're talking about a payment: "She wants the cash upfront, before she hands over the cupcakes."
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.
Fending off Netflix is a tricky task for Mohan because YouTube’s business model is to share advertising revenue with creators, not write big upfront checks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
Did I save money on the big stuff upfront?
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
“Regardless, the difference between our valuation assumption and the upfront sale price is arguably modest” versus Capstone’s over A$11 billion market value, it says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
The Track Record mortgage from Skipton Building Society covers 100% of the value of a property, with the borrower paying nothing upfront.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
“Yeah, well, you should’ve been upfront about that too,” I say angrily.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
