VocabauraVOCABAURA

foreground

noun · verb

Simple meaning

The application the user is currently interacting with.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

fawrgrownd

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈfɔɹɡɹaʊnd

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. computingoften attributive

    The application the user is currently interacting with; the application window that appears in front of all others.

  2. The elements of an image which lie closest to the picture plane.

  3. The subject of an image, often depicted at the bottom in a two-dimensional work.

verb

  1. Move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent

  2. To place in the foreground (physically or metaphorically).

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C1 · Advanced (estimated)
Frequency
Uncommon
Formality
Technical

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: The application the user is currently interacting with; the application window that appears in front of all others.

Used this way, foreground is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a computing use: it carries a fixed technical meaning inside software and systems work.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Specialist/technical
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Specialized
Connotation
Clinical and technical
Usage feel
Technical and specialized

Where it naturally appears

  • Technology
  • Technical/specialist writing
  • Business/professional

Usage note

In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

Share your sentence

Write your own example sentence using “foreground”. We review each one before it appears.

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

foreground colorleft foregroundright foregroundimmediate foregroundcenter foregroundforeground objectscurrent foreground

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • foreground processingnounCompound term

    The execution of a program that preempts the use of the processing system.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: move into the foreground to make more visible

highlight

Antonyms

noun

Sense: application the user is currently interacting with

backgroundTechnical

verb

Sense: move into the foreground to make more visible

background

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Use it yourself

Knowing “foreground” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.

Know the meaning? Practice using it in a real situation, free, no credits.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.