back burner
noun
: the condition of being out of active consideration or development
—usually used in the phrase on the back burner
Examples of back burner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kash Patel, Trump’s choice to lead the FBI, meanwhile, was put on the back burner by the Senate Judiciary Committee in favor of Bondi.
—
Al Weaver, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
Once the contract is signed, labor often goes on the back burner — until the next negotiation two or three years later.
—Harvard Business Review, 13 Jan. 2025
But conversations on the hardwood about where to find other places to hoop moved a long-simmering idea for an app off the back burner.
—La Risa R. Lynch, Journal Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2024
Despite statements and expectations of significant action to be taken across the board to make the U.S. more hospitable to cryptoassets, including the creation of a crypto advisory council, politics and international headlines might very well put these items on to the back burner.
—Sean Stein Smith, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for back burner 
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.
Al Weaver, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
Once the contract is signed, labor often goes on the back burner — until the next negotiation two or three years later.
—Harvard Business Review, 13 Jan. 2025
But conversations on the hardwood about where to find other places to hoop moved a long-simmering idea for an app off the back burner.
—La Risa R. Lynch, Journal Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2024
Despite statements and expectations of significant action to be taken across the board to make the U.S. more hospitable to cryptoassets, including the creation of a crypto advisory council, politics and international headlines might very well put these items on to the back burner.
—Sean Stein Smith, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for back burner
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 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share