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
Those ideas and plenty more will have to remain on the back burner for now, however.
—
Jack Lang, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
While music made Ariana Grande one of the most successful pop stars of the past several decades, the singer and songwriter is putting her first love on the back burner for now after receiving rave reviews and a number of accolade nominations for her role as Glinda in both Wicked films.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, a secret love affair might be percolating on the back burner.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
Mangold’s is really on the back burner as is Soderbergh’s.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for on the back burner
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Jack Lang, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026
While music made Ariana Grande one of the most successful pop stars of the past several decades, the singer and songwriter is putting her first love on the back burner for now after receiving rave reviews and a number of accolade nominations for her role as Glinda in both Wicked films.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, a secret love affair might be percolating on the back burner.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026
Mangold’s is really on the back burner as is Soderbergh’s.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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 1 Feb. 2026.
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