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
Max Kim | Los Angeles Times (TNS) SEOUL, South Korea — Faced with other more pressing developments in Ukraine and Gaza, the Biden administration has largely kept the threat of North Korea’s nuclear program on the back burner.
—
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
Take a chance and set your routines on the back burner temporarily.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 19 Mar. 2024
After appearing in shows like The Love Boat and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, and films including Police Academy 6: City Under Siege, Buckner put show business on the back burner to raise her two children.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
For now, his retirement plans sit on the back burner.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
Despite their vital role, upgrading them with the latest technologies to optimize operations, better manage energy use and keep occupants safe and comfortable is a time-consuming process often left on the back burner due to high costs and skilled labor shortages.
—Billal Hammoud, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
And Rose, an actress who put her career on the back burner to have a kid, reassesses her choices after meeting Smith’s character, Helen.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
But like many working parents, the couple put their redesign on the back burner.
—Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
Brushing your teeth for two minutes to start and end the day might seem like a no-brainer, but overwhelmed, overstimulated moms can fall victim to placing the practice on the back burner to meet drop-off times in the morning and when exhausted after a bedtime routine at night.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 7 Feb. 2024
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 20 May 2024
Take a chance and set your routines on the back burner temporarily.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 19 Mar. 2024
After appearing in shows like The Love Boat and The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, and films including Police Academy 6: City Under Siege, Buckner put show business on the back burner to raise her two children.
—Eric Andersson, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
For now, his retirement plans sit on the back burner.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
Despite their vital role, upgrading them with the latest technologies to optimize operations, better manage energy use and keep occupants safe and comfortable is a time-consuming process often left on the back burner due to high costs and skilled labor shortages.
—Billal Hammoud, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
And Rose, an actress who put her career on the back burner to have a kid, reassesses her choices after meeting Smith’s character, Helen.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
But like many working parents, the couple put their redesign on the back burner.
—Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
Brushing your teeth for two minutes to start and end the day might seem like a no-brainer, but overwhelmed, overstimulated moms can fall victim to placing the practice on the back burner to meet drop-off times in the morning and when exhausted after a bedtime routine at night.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 7 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'on the back burner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near on the back burner
Cite this Entry
“On the back burner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20back%20burner. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share