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

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Etymology

Origin of front burner

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

front burner

“With recession risks low, I would not look at it as a front burner issue, but one to keep in the back of your mind when the next recession inevitably comes,” Clissold wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

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

I told him that this was on the front burner and that it would get appropriate attention.”

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 16, 2023

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

But he made one compelling point that showed Lawrence and Alvarez how they might restore the program to Washington’s front burner.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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