back burner

noun

: the condition of being out of active consideration or development
usually used in the phrase on the back burner
back-burner transitive verb

Examples of back burner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web These vignettes of time spent living in close proximity to nature fade to the back burner when Tetsuya fails to return, prompting Anzu and Karin to leave the countryside for Tokyo. Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 22 June 2024 But the negotiations between Israel and Hezbollah must not be moved to the back burner. Maha Yahya, Foreign Affairs, 24 Apr. 2024 Virgo August 23 – September 22 Your emotional well-being shouldn’t get constantly pushed to the back burner. Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2024 August 23 – September 22 Your emotional well-being shouldn’t get constantly pushed to the back burner. Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 29 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for back burner 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'back burner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of back burner was in 1943

Dictionary Entries Near back burner

Cite this Entry

“Back burner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20burner. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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