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
Nonetheless, the Lakers have the star power to hold their own, even with James on the back burner.
—
Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
But developing that segment is on the back burner for now.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025
There have been hopes ever since that movie tariffs would be on the back burner.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
But there were long years during which my book simmered on the back burner or even cooled on a pantry shelf.
—Megan Marshall
september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on the back burner
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Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
But developing that segment is on the back burner for now.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025
There have been hopes ever since that movie tariffs would be on the back burner.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
But there were long years during which my book simmered on the back burner or even cooled on a pantry shelf.
—Megan Marshall
september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
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 23 Oct. 2025.
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