up-front

1 of 2

adjective

ˌəp-ˈfrənt 

ˈəp-ˌfrənt

: being or coming in or at the front: such as

a(1)

: frank, forthright

(2)

: being in a conspicuous or leading position

b

: paid or payable in advance

c

: playing in a front line (as in football)

up front

2 of 2

adverb

1

: in or at the front

2

: in advance

3

: in an up-front manner : frankly, forthrightly

Synonyms

Adjective

• candid
• direct
• forthcoming
• forthright
• foursquare
• frank
• free-spoken
• freehearted
• honest
• open
• openhearted
• out-front
• outspoken
• plain
• plainspoken
• straight
• straightforward
• unguarded
• unreserved

Examples of up-front in a Sentence

Adjective

some hurt feelings could have been spared if he'd been more up-front about whom he was inviting to the party

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

By mitigating up-front costs, especially for smaller community banks, and offering clearer, more compelling incentives, the Federal Reserve can push the entire ecosystem toward a tipping point where real-time payments become the new standard. —Zennon Kapron, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025

The other thing that has been ignored in the letters to the editor is Zelenskyy’s short-sightedness with his demands for up-front protection. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2025

Adverb

Specifying a plan up front and sticking to it—a method routinely used in the conduct of clinical trials—helps ensure analyses aren’t changed and results aren’t interpreted in a biased manner if one side isn’t happy with the study’s findings. —Christopher M. Worsham, Time, 27 Mar. 2025

The Magpies hierarchy wants to strengthen its options up front in order to support Alexander Isak next season. —Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1945, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1937, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for up-front

• affront
• confront
• exeunt
• forefront
• lakefront
• manhunt
• sederunt
• battlefront
• oceanfront
• riverfront
• waterfront
• blunt