on the back burner

idiom

chiefly US
: in the position of something that will not receive immediate attention and action
She put her singing career on the back burner to pursue her dream of being a movie star.

Examples of on the back burner in a Sentence

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.
With Devers managing both back and groin ailments, San Francisco placed those plans on the back burner. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 July 2025 Our needs will be at the forefront of our hearts and minds, pushing us to deal with matters that have been left on the back burner for some time. Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 2 July 2025 Other [trick ideas] sit on the back burner for years. Nate Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025 Read the full Sagittarius Daily Horoscope Capricorn (December 21 - January 19) Are your needs on the back burner? Usa Today, USA Today, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for on the back burner

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“On the back burner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20back%20burner. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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