Meaning & use
forefront
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Meanings
nounsingular
The leading position in a field, movement, or activity, where the newest or most important work is happening.
Grammar: Used with the: at the forefront of research, never with a plural.
Patterns
- at the forefront of something
- come to the forefront
- bring something to the forefront
The university has stayed at the forefront of cancer research for decades.
Climate policy moved to the forefront of the election campaign.
She was always at the forefront of the fight for fair wages.
nounsingular
The very front part of a place or of someone's attention.
Grammar: Often used with mind: keep safety at the forefront of your mind.
Patterns
- in the forefront of someone's mind
- at the forefront of something
Her children's needs were always in the forefront of her mind.
Photographers crowded the forefront of the stage.
Cost remained at the forefront of every discussion we had.
Common combinations
- at the forefront of
- The lab is at the forefront of battery design.
- come to the forefront
- Housing costs have come to the forefront of public debate.
- bring to the forefront
- The crisis brought long-ignored problems to the forefront.
- remain at the forefront
- Our team hopes to remain at the forefront of the industry.
- in the forefront of your mind
- Keep your goals in the forefront of your mind during the exam.
Synonyms and how they differ
- vanguard
- Vanguard is more formal and suggests leading a movement, often an army or a cause, while forefront can be used for any field.
- cutting edge
- Cutting edge refers to the most advanced technology or ideas, whereas forefront can also describe a position of public attention.
- front line
- Front line implies direct involvement in a struggle or hard work, not just being modern or prominent.
- spotlight
- Spotlight is about being the center of public attention, not about leading in skill or progress.
Opposites
Word family
- fore noun
- the front part of something, mostly in the phrase to the fore
- front noun
- the part facing forward or the leading position
- foremost adjective
- coming first in position or importance
- foreground noun
- the part of a scene nearest the viewer
Commonly confused: forefront or foreground?
forefront vs foreground
Foreground is mainly about the nearest part of a picture or view, while forefront is about leadership, progress, or attention.
Practice
Complete the sentence: The company has remained ___ the forefront of solar technology for ten years.
Choose one answer.
The set phrase is at the forefront of something. In the forefront of is used for attention in the mind, but the fixed expression for leading a field takes at.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “forefront”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.