How to Use back burner in a Sentence

back burner

noun
  • When did they get pushed on the back burner?
    — Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
  • The stage run reignited what burnout had put on the back burner.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 4 June 2026
  • Put disputes on the back burner rather than putting your foot down.
    — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, 22 Oct. 2020
  • None is quite ready to move from the back burner to the front burner.
    — Dave Itzkoff, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023
  • Bardolph lingers on the plot back burner — at first.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
  • But his efforts went onto a back burner once the heat cranked up.
    — Paul Stephen, ExpressNews.com, 12 Aug. 2020
  • Plans to unveil more in new cities remain on the back burner for now.
    — John Kell, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2021
  • Take on learning a new skill that has been sitting on the back burner.
    — Mark Nevins, Forbes, 13 May 2022
  • From that point on, her acting career was put on the back burner.
    — Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Everything else had to be put on the back burner.
    — Cj Moore, New York Times, 22 June 2026
  • Most of these races have spent much of the election cycle on the back burner.
    — Kristina Peterson, WSJ, 16 Oct. 2018
  • The show’s high points pushed thoughts of the pandemic to the back burner.
    — Dallas News, 28 Oct. 2020
  • The first year of my daughter’s life is a reason my body is on the back burner.
    — Sara Gaynes Levy, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2020
  • That addition at one time had a grant that fell through, and the plan was put on the back burner.
    — Steve Lord, chicagotribune.com, 16 Sep. 2021
  • Projects put on the back burner may also be of interest at this time.
    — Lisa Stardust, Peoplemag, 17 July 2024
  • The subject of divorce now is well and truly on the back burner.
    — Wayne and Wanda, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Aug. 2022
  • Caring for someone else often means your own needs are put on the back burner.
    — Team Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2026
  • After that, the idea of us getting married went on the back burner.
    — Abby, Houston Chronicle, 17 Jan. 2018
  • Life was difficult, so making art was on the back burner.
    — Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
  • If the latter's the case, put the purchase on the back burner for the time being.
    — Mia Taylor, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2021
  • Just like that, Harper-to-the-Bombers has hit the back burner.
    — Mike Mazzeo, baltimoresun.com, 14 Mar. 2018
  • What’s coming in, what’s going out, what’s been sitting on the back burner for too long?
    — Glamour, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Work on the song began more than a year ago and it was temporarily put on the back burner.
    — Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2022
  • The same applies to projects or endeavors left on the sidelines and the back burner.
    — Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 7 May 2024
  • But it's been a lot of fun getting caught up around the house, doing projects that have been on the back burner for a while.
    — Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 17 Sep. 2020
  • Live concerts may still be on the back burner at the moment, but don’t fret—a night of music is on its way!
    — Natalie Schumann, Country Living, 15 Apr. 2021
  • School’s out, work’s on the back burner, the sun is warm, the water or the desert or the mountains beckon.
    — Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2019
  • Those plans were never realized, and the idea has remained on the back burner for decades.
    — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 25 Jan. 2023
  • As racial issues move to the forefront, justices shuttle them to the back burner.
    — Kellie Hwang, SFChronicle.com, 13 July 2020
  • But, these concerns can be put on the back burner with a Tile tracker tucked inside.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2024

Some of 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.

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