front burner

American  

noun

1. Informal. a condition or position of top priority.

   Put the project on the front burner and finish it as soon as possible.

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Other Word Forms

• front-burner adjective

Etymology

Origin of front burner

First recorded in 1965–70; by analogy with back burner

Example Sentences

At a meeting of senior EU member state officials on Sunday evening, the emphasis was on not rushing to decisions and keeping diplomacy with the White House on the front burner.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

But then every time I went to visit him, it was like something that was on the back burner came to the front burner, and the reality smashed me in the face.

From Slate • May 23, 2023

Sure, Sang-hyeon, who runs a hand laundry, and cohort Dong-soo, who works at said church, could use the dough; times are tight and, on the front burner, Sang-hyeon is in hock to the local mob.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2022

“And so we’ll look at it. … It’s not on the front burner for our league right now.”

From Seattle Times • Apr. 20, 2022

He ignited the flame on the front burner of his stove.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore