foreground

1 of 2

noun

fore·​ground ˈfȯr-ˌgrau̇nd How to pronounce foreground (audio)
1
: the part of a scene or representation that is nearest to and in front of the spectator
Objects in the foreground seem larger than those in the background.
2
: a position of prominence : forefront
We want this issue to be in the foreground.
3
: a level of computer processing at which the processor responds immediately to input to a designated high-priority task compare background

foreground

2 of 2

verb

foregrounded; foregrounding; foregrounds

transitive verb

: to bring to the foreground
especially : to give prominence or emphasis to

Examples of foreground in a Sentence

Noun We want the issue to be in the foreground. Verb Public discussion has foregrounded the issue of health care. repeatedly foregrounded his experience in international affairs in the course of his campaign for the presidency
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In the foreground, a sprinkling of Swiss chalet-style homes, with their widely projecting roofs and wooden balconies, were covered in a fresh dusting of snow. Alexandra Cheney, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2025 Zoom out and these pointillist patterns are colorful doubles of the black-and-white photographs of baobab trees mounted in the foreground. Meka Boyle, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
Two excellent new books focus on abolition’s complicated aftermath, foregrounding the experiences of the formerly enslaved. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2025 In his new biography of Barnes, Blake Gopnik foregrounds this democratic ethos, focusing specifically on the philanthropist’s contributions to building racial equality—despite Barnes’s notoriously cantankerous personality and his tendency toward invective and slur. Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foreground

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreground was in 1695

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Cite this Entry

“Foreground.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreground. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

foreground

noun
fore·​ground
ˈfō(ə)r-ˌgrau̇nd,
ˈfȯ(ə)r-
: the part of a scene or picture that is nearest to and in front of the viewer

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