Phrase guide

on the back burner

prep_phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Not immediate; inactive; receiving or requiring less than full or regular attention.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • That project is on the back burner until we deal with higher priorities.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: on the front burner

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: op een laag pitje — not immediate
  • Finnish: hautumassa — not immediate
  • Finnish: hyllyllä — not immediate
  • French: au second plan — not immediate
  • French: en veilleuse — not immediate
  • French: en attente — not immediate
  • French: en pause — not immediate
  • German: auf der Wartebank — not immediate
  • German: auf Sparflamme — not immediate
  • Italian: in secondo piano — not immediate
  • Polish: na drugi plan — not immediate
  • Portuguese: em banho-maria — not immediate
  • Spanish: en segundo plano — not immediate
  • Swedish: på sparlåga — not immediate