Synonyms of foregroundnext
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
Corso sets up in the blind and points the scope across the water at a neon-pink bouquet of Greater Flamingos ballet-dancing along the far edge of the lagoon, while grebes dive, avocets wade, and egrets and herons hunt in the foreground. — Alexandra Marvar, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026 On the Mediterranean side, Playa de Santa Bárbara is a wide sandy beach north of the border, with the immense Rock of Gibraltar rising to the south — a potentially spectacular foreground. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
Longtime collaborator Erik Blood foregrounds Butler’s dry drum machines in the mix, letting every other element shuffle around them, snaking toward the spotlight for a brief moment and retreating back into the brume. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026 Many chapters foreground a signature representative artwork from the huge array (Bruce Blackburn’s 1970 graphic logo for the Bicentennial, Ant Farm’s 1975 Citizens Time Capsule, a 1976 Betty Tichich photograph, and more). — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foreground.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreground. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster