put it on the back burner
/pʊt ɪt ɒn ðə bæk ˈbɜːnə/
to leave something until later because other things matter more
In the video
The boss says the website can wait: “Put it on the back burner.” Peter puts the WEBSITE folder on the back ring of a stove and turns it on. When she comes back, her project is on fire.
What it really means
A back burner is the ring at the back of a stove. When you cook, the food that needs attention goes at the front. Food that can cook slowly goes at the back.
So when you put something on the back burner, you stop working on it for now and do more important things first. It is not cancelled. It just isn’t the priority.
When to use it
Use it when talking about priorities. The tone is neutral. Something urgent is a “front-burner issue”. If you mean you are giving up on something completely, say “drop it” or “cancel it” instead.
Examples
- Let’s put this idea on the back burner for now.
- The redesign is on the back burner until after the launch.
- I had to put my studies on the back burner while I was working full-time.
Common mistake
✗ We cancelled the plan, so it’s on the back burner.
✓ We’ve put the plan on the back burner until next year.
“On the back burner” doesn’t mean cancelled. It means delayed: the plan still exists, and you will come back to it.
Similar phrases
- put a pin in it to stop discussing something for now; common in meetings
- put on hold to pause something; more formal, often for projects and orders