long haul

noun

plural long hauls

1

: a long distance

New England ski areas are a long haul—12 to 15 hours by car—for Pittsburgh area skiers.

—Lawrence Walsh

The existing system of alternating-current (AC) power lines is not robust enough to carry power from these centers to consumers everywhere and would lose too much energy over long hauls.

—Ken Zweibel et al.

2

: a considerable period of time : long run

—usually used in the phrases for the long haul, over the long haul, and in the long haul

Honest, open and relaxed, they are clearly a couple planning for the long haul.

—Tom Seligson

Over the long haul, though, ecosystems can sequester significant amounts of carbon.

—Sid Perkins

Treasury bills pay next to nothing in real terms over the long haul.

—Richard C. Morais

A good stock will have its bad days, weeks, and even years, but in the long haul, its performance will closely match the performance of the business.

—Alex Dumortier

long-haul

ˈlȯŋ-ˌhȯl 

adjective

long-haul truckers

Boeing has configured the long-haul Dreamliner with eight seats across in the coach section, with an option for nine.

—Bill Saporito

see also long-hauler

Synonyms

• afar
• country mile
• far cry
• mile

Examples of long haul in a Sentence

Driving across the country would be a long haul.

growing up in suburban New England, I used to think the 10 miles between our house and the mall was a long haul

Recent Examples on the Web

So, most of the pilot was shot toward the end of 2020, and season one into 2021, but it’s been a long haul. —Demetrius Patterson, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024

Failing to invest for the long haul Parents or grandparents who set up a 529 account for a child usually have many years to work with and thus should focus on investments such as stock mutual funds that can be expected to outperform more conservative choices over time. —The Arizona Republic, 25 Feb. 2024

But over the long haul, WSU’s bank account would be better off without a trophy. —Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024

However, to fully understand who the Detroiter is as a professional requires learning about how Warren has approached her craft over the long haul. —Scott Talley, Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024

O'Neal thinks Alerts could stay open for the long haul, but the biggest obstacle to that is the possibility of future Reddit rule changes. —Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2024

Those successes cement relationships that can support you in your career for the long haul. —Magen Baker, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2024

Still, it’s got enough panache (to use Dick’s favorite word) to charm viewers for a little while — if not necessarily to keep them invested for the long haul. —Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024

This makes retention challenging over the long haul. —Dasha Shunina, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1