the short term
noun
: a short period of time at the beginning of something
It will meet our needs, at least for the short term.
His plan has advantages over the short term.
—usually used in the phrase in the short termIt won't make any difference in the short term.
These changes may improve profits in the short term, but they are going to cost us money in the long term.
Examples of the short term in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The president's comments indicate the conflict could escalate, at least in the short term.
—
Michael Loria, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
But all that hype may actually be injuring the economy in the short term.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Even with hopes for a potential resolution to the conflict, Patrick De Haan, a petroleum expert at GasBuddy, thinks gas prices could continue to float higher in the short term.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
In the short term, this pairing screams patience.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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Michael Loria, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
But all that hype may actually be injuring the economy in the short term.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Even with hopes for a potential resolution to the conflict, Patrick De Haan, a petroleum expert at GasBuddy, thinks gas prices could continue to float higher in the short term.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
In the short term, this pairing screams patience.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the short term
Cite this Entry
“The short term.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20short%20term. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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