front burner

noun

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

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

Other Words From

• front-burner adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of front burner¹

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

Example Sentences

Basketball observers who have given him the out-of-sight, out-of-mind treatment should respond by moving him to the front burner.

From Washington Post

But Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told the Associated Press today that plans for a no-fly zone are “not on the front burner.”

From The Daily Beast

The new Kashmiri intifada has put the issue back on the front burner.

From The Daily Beast

And not long after he was elected, he pushed the issue to the front burner of his agenda.

From The Daily Beast

A new fuss over the public option would necessarily return health care to the front-burner and chew up a bunch of time.

From The Daily Beast