foreground
/ˈfɔːɡraʊnd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɔːrɡraʊnd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfȯr-ˌgrau̇nd/ (ame, mw) · /ˈfɔː.ɡraʊnd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɔːr.ɡraʊnd/ (ame, ipa)
foreground — noun
1. the part of a picture, photograph, or scene that appears closest to the person l
the part of a picture, photograph, or scene that appears closest to the person looking at it, usually where the main subject is placed.
The photographer placed the bride in the foreground and the church tower behind her.
the foreground + of a photograph; contrast with background
In the painting, a small boat in the foreground draws your eye before you notice the mountains beyond.
Wei asked the artist to add more colour to the foreground so the flowers would stand out.
The tall grasses in the foreground make the distant hills look further away.
- background
the part of an image or scene that is farthest from the viewer.
文法句型
the foreground + of + [noun phrase]
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the phrase 'in the foreground' to describe the frontmost part of a visual composition. The opposite is 'background'.
常見錯誤
2. the position of being the most noticeable, important, or actively discussed part
the position of being the most noticeable, important, or actively discussed part of a situation, debate, or field of activity.
Climate change has moved into the foreground of political discussion around the world.
move into the foreground — figurative use
Anika kept the needs of younger students in the foreground when designing the new library.
After the scandal, the question of honesty stayed in the foreground at every board meeting.
The housing crisis has pushed itself into the foreground of the mayoral election campaign.
- spotlight
more dramatic and informal; suggests intense public attention, often in media contexts.
- forefront
very close in meaning but emphasises being at the leading edge of a field or movement rather than simply being prominent.
- prominence
more formal; describes the state of being widely known or important without the visual metaphor.
- background
the less noticeable or less important position in a situation.
- obscurity
the state of being unknown or unnoticed.
文法句型
in the foreground (of [something])
用法筆記
This figurative sense is often used with verbs of movement or placement: 'move into', 'push into', 'bring to', 'remain in'. The opposite remains 'background'.
3. the state in which a computer program or task is currently active and visible on
the state in which a computer program or task is currently active and visible on the screen, responding directly to the user's input.
You can keep the browser in the foreground while the download completes in the background.
contrast: foreground vs background in computing
Diego switched the video editor to the foreground so he could make the final cut.
The music app runs in the background while the map stays in the foreground during the drive.
When a program crashes, the system usually moves it out of the foreground and shows an error message.
- active window
a more precise technical term for the specific program window currently receiving user input.
- frontmost app
common on Mac systems and in everyday speech, but less formal.
- background
the state in which a program runs without being visible or directly receiving user commands.
文法句型
in the foreground
run/operate in the foreground
用法筆記
Used in contrast with 'background' to describe the two modes of operation in most operating systems. Only the foreground task directly receives keyboard and mouse input.
常見錯誤
foreground — verb
- foregroundpresent simple I / you / we / they
- foregrounds3rd person singular
- foregrounding-ing form
- foregroundedpast simple
1. to treat a subject, idea, or feature as the most important element in a discussi
to treat a subject, idea, or feature as the most important element in a discussion, piece of writing, or other work, making it stand out from other aspects.
The report foregrounds the link between poor housing and children's health problems.
foreground + [noun phrase] — transitive use
Sofia's documentary foregrounds the voices of factory workers rather than the company managers.
The new curriculum foregrounds critical thinking over the simple memorisation of facts.
Liam argued that the film foregrounds style at the expense of storytelling.
- highlight
less formal and more widely used across registers; also means 'draw attention to'.
- emphasize
very close in meaning; 'emphasize' focuses on stressing an idea, while 'foreground' carries a stronger visual metaphor of bringing something to the front.
- spotlight
more informal and vivid; common in media and everyday usage.
- downplay
to make something seem less important or noticeable.
- background
to push something to a less prominent position; the opposite verb formed from the same visual metaphor.
文法句型
foreground + [noun phrase]
用法筆記
Common in academic and formal writing. The subject is typically a piece of work, a policy, or a person in a professional role. Less common in casual conversation.