on the back burner

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

in a state of temporary deferral or reduced priority, set aside for later attention while more urgent or more important matters receive immediate focus and resources; the culinary metaphor of the back burner of a stove, where pots are kept at lower heat to continue cooking slowly while the front burners handle dishes that require immediate attention, captures the idea of something maintained at minimal activity while not yet abandoned; in project management and political discourse the phrase describes initiatives that are not cancelled but cannot be actively advanced given current constraints of time, money, or political will, with the implication that attention will return when circumstances permit