on the back burner

phrase

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 so much drama surrounding Taverner and Sid, in particular, the episode keeps most of the other characters on the back burner until next week’s finale. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026 This wasn't necessarily a case of Nike putting sports on the back burner. — Matt Calkins Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 But Felix had his reign and has since put his content creation on the back burner. — Owen Carry, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026 For years, Lee admittedly put the idea on the back burner but continued traveling the world solo. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for on the back burner

Rhymes for on the back burner

See All Rhymes for on the back burner

Browse Nearby Words

on the attack
on the back burner
on the back of
See all 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 22 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vocation

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All