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)
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
Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
That’s an enormous up-front investment for pediatric practices, generally second only to employees in terms of cost.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
With Prime, Amazon gets consumers to pay for free shipping up front, incentivizing them to keep using their platform.
—NPR, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for up-front
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Adjective
Promotional prices may vary by region, and professional installation can add to up-front costs.
—Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
That’s an enormous up-front investment for pediatric practices, generally second only to employees in terms of cost.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
More and more filmmakers are turning to self-distribution rather than sign away the rights to their films without receiving much money up front or guarantees about the resources that will be committed to marketing their work.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2025
With Prime, Amazon gets consumers to pay for free shipping up front, incentivizing them to keep using their platform.
—NPR, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for up-front
Cite this Entry
“Up-front.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/up-front. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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