BACKBURNER

/bak bur-nr/

Noun

Refers to an individual whom a person keeps as a potential romantic option; Someone’s secondary or backup option

ORIGIN

Originally, backburner means to give something a lower priority or set it aside temporarily, or to put something on the back burner, similar to how a chef moves a pot to the rear or back burner of the stove to concentrate on more urgent dishes (Agulto, 2024). 

Popularized by Indonesian singer-songwriter Niki, the term backburner in the context of relationships is being the individual who is kept as a potential romantic interest, someone of low priority, a backup option, or someone who is only engaged with when it is convenient for the other party.

Oftentimes, to become a backburner is to be given bits of attention without fully committing to an official relationship in case things with one’s primary option doesn’t work out.

See Also

Lacson lauds Tulfo for ‘speaking truth’

EXAMPLES

“After months of mixed signals, she decided she wouldn’t be anyone’s backburner.”

“Martina realized she was just his backburner, someone he only contacted when his other relationships didn’t work out.”