Meaning
To postpone something or treat it as a lower priority for now, without abandoning it entirely, usually because more urgent matters need attention first.
It implies the deprioritized item hasn’t been forgotten, just set aside temporarily until there’s time or need to return to it.
Origin
The image comes directly from cooking on a traditional stove: the front burners are used for dishes that need constant attention and active cooking, while the back burners hold pots that only need to stay warm or simmer slowly without being watched closely. Moving a task “to the back burner” borrows this kitchen logic exactly — the thing isn’t removed from the stove (abandoned) but simply no longer receives active, immediate attention. The phrase is an American idiom that became common in general (non-cooking) use by the mid-20th century, spreading alongside the growing popularity of home gas and electric ranges with clearly differentiated front and back burner positions, a layout that made the metaphor instantly familiar to most households.
Examples
We had to put the renovation on the back burner until after the holidays.
That research project has been on the back burner for months now.
With the new client taking priority, the website redesign is on the back burner.
A: Whatever happened to your novel? B: It’s on the back burner while I finish grad school.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'On the back burner' mean?
To postpone something or treat it as a lower priority for now, without abandoning it entirely, usually because more urgent matters need attention first.
It implies the deprioritized item hasn’t been forgotten, just set aside temporarily until there’s time or need to return to it.