front
gb/fɹˈʌnt/ us/fɹˈʌnt/
A1
English
~ 1400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
the forward-facing part
The part of something that faces forward or is seen first.
Usage pattern:
the front of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'in front of' with 'before' when talking about physical location. 'Before' usually refers to time, not place.
Synonyms
fore (More formal or nautical term for the front of a ship or aircraft.)
Antonyms
back (The opposite side, facing away from the front.)
Collocations
front door
|front page
|front row
|front seat
|front yard
Themes
daily life
|spatial
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There’s a garden in front of the house.
- Please sit in the front row.
- The store has its name on the front of the building.
- I parked my car right in front of the entrance.
Learner examples
- The cat is in front of the TV.
- We sat in the front of the bus.
- My school is in front of the park.
Noun
A2
entity
2
leading position
The first position in a group or race.
Usage pattern:
at the front of [group/line]
Synonyms
lead (Focuses more on being ahead in competition, not just physical position.)
Antonyms
rear (The back position in a group or formation.)
Collocations
at the front
|move to the front
|take the front
Themes
sports
|daily life
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was at the front of the line for tickets.
- The runner stayed at the front for most of the race.
- Security guards walked at the front of the parade.
Learner examples
- I stood at the front of the class.
- He is at the front of the race.
- The teacher is at the front of the room.
Noun
B1
entity
3
battle area or combat zone
The place where two sides fight in a war.
Synonyms
battlefield (Refers to a specific site of battle, not a general zone.)
Antonyms
home front (Areas away from active fighting where civilians live and work during wartime.)
Collocations
battle front
|war front
|on the front
Themes
military
|politics
Examples
- He was sent to the eastern front during the war.
- Reports from the front describe heavy fighting.
- Many soldiers never returned from the front.
Learner examples
- He went to the war front.
- The news came from the battle front.
- Soldiers fight on the front.
Noun
B2
entity
4
false outward appearance
A way of acting that hides how you really feel.
Synonyms
façade (More formal; often used for both literal building fronts and figurative appearances.)
Antonyms
openness (Showing feelings or truth without hiding them.)
Collocations
put on a front
|keep up a front
Themes
emotions
|social
|communication
Examples
- She put on a brave front despite her worries.
- His confidence was just a front for his insecurity.
- They kept up a friendly front during negotiations.
Learner examples
- He puts on a happy front.
- Her smile is only a front.
- They keep a polite front.
Verb
B2
action
5
to face toward something
To face toward something.
Usage pattern:
[building/room] fronts [direction/street]
Synonyms
face (Commonly used for people or objects; 'front' is more formal for buildings or structures.)
Antonyms
back onto (To have one's rear side toward something instead of facing it.)
Collocations
fronts onto
|fronts toward
Themes
spatial
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The house fronts onto a busy street.
- Our apartment fronts the park.
- The hotel fronts toward the sea.
Learner examples
- The shop fronts the main road.
- My room fronts the garden.
- The house fronts south.
Grammar
Dictionary form
front
IPA
GB/fɹˈʌnt/
US/fɹˈʌnt/
Syllables & stress
front (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (front)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: front
- Plural: front, fronts
Verb
- Base: front
- 3rd Person Singular: fronts
- Present Participle: fronting
- Past: fronted
Word family
Expressions
at the front of the line
1/ˈæt ðə fɹˈʌnt əv ðə lˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
being first in a queue or series
Being first in a line of people or things.
Examples
- He waited for hours to be at the front of the line.
- Children stood at the front of the line for ice cream.
put on a brave front
2/pˈʊt ˈɔn ə bɹˈeɪv fɹˈʌnt/
idiom
pretend to be confident when worried or afraid
To act like you are confident and not afraid, even if you feel bad inside.
Examples
- He put on a brave front during his speech, though he was very nervous.
- She put on a brave front after losing her job.
in front of
1/ˈɪn fɹˈʌnt əv/
fixed phrase
ahead in space relative to something else
In a position ahead of something else in space.
Examples
- The car stopped in front of the house.
- She stood in front of me during the concert.
in front of
2/ˈɪn fɹˈʌnt əv/
fixed phrase
ahead; before in space
Shows that something is ahead or before another thing in space.
Examples
- He stood in front of the house.
- There is a car in front of ours.
on the front lines
1/ˈɔn ðə fɹˈʌnt lˈaɪnz/
idiom
In most active/risky position during conflict/crisis situation
In the most active and dangerous position during a fight, war, or big problem.
Examples
- Nurses are on the front lines of patient care during outbreaks.
- Nurses are on the front lines of patient care.
- Soldiers on the front lines faced heavy fire.