front for
phrasal verb.phrasal verb. to act as a public face for a group or person, often to hide their secret or illegal activities.
phrasal verb. to serve as a nominal head or representative for an organization, typically to provide a respectable facade for illicit or covert operations.
The small café was actually fronting for a large gambling ring.
Investigators discovered that the charity was merely fronting for a political group trying to avoid taxes.
The legitimate export business served as a convenient mechanism to front for the cartel's international distribution network.
usually followed by a noun representing the hidden entity or activity.
anchor this to the noun 'front' (a facade); it is often used in crime dramas or news reports about money laundering and corporate shells.
He was front for the company.He was fronting for the company.when used as a verb to describe an ongoing role, the progressive '-ing' form is required.
Last updated April 24, 2026