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
Advertisement For two seasons, her character has simmered on the back burner — active and essential but not at a full boil just yet.
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Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2024
After establishing herself as a fixture over years of work in Hollywood, the A-lister put her acting career on the back burner to focus on spending time at home and raising her young daughters.
—Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2024
This is likely to drive up the cost of traveling, meaning that some people may have to put that summer jaunt on the back burner.
—Justin Klawans, The Week Us, theweek, 25 June 2024
In-helmet communication has been a topic of discussion for years, but concerns about cost, logistics, and the liability and warranties of helmets that would have to be modified left the idea on the back burner — until the NCAA Rules Committee officially proposed the change in March.
—Ron Counts, Idaho Statesman, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for on the back burner 
Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2024
After establishing herself as a fixture over years of work in Hollywood, the A-lister put her acting career on the back burner to focus on spending time at home and raising her young daughters.
—Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2024
This is likely to drive up the cost of traveling, meaning that some people may have to put that summer jaunt on the back burner.
—Justin Klawans, The Week Us, theweek, 25 June 2024
In-helmet communication has been a topic of discussion for years, but concerns about cost, logistics, and the liability and warranties of helmets that would have to be modified left the idea on the back burner — until the NCAA Rules Committee officially proposed the change in March.
—Ron Counts, Idaho Statesman, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for on the back burner
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 7 Jul. 2024.
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