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
Although Europe is reliant on the US for military hardware in the short term, Daniel Fried, a veteran US diplomat, told CNN that the continent has more leverage than is commonly believed.
—
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
Home to the world’s largest oil reserves, the country is an attractive long-term opportunity for Big Oil, but companies are cautious about investing in the short term due to uncertainty around security and the rule of law.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
The central bank’s monthly Survey of Consumer Expectations found that consumers expect inflation to be higher in the short term, but households, overall, are more optimistic about their future financial standing.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
In the short term, if the schedule change leads to fewer vaccinations, children in America will suffer through more diarrhea from rotavirus, nausea from hepatitis A, and fevers from the flu.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
Home to the world’s largest oil reserves, the country is an attractive long-term opportunity for Big Oil, but companies are cautious about investing in the short term due to uncertainty around security and the rule of law.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
The central bank’s monthly Survey of Consumer Expectations found that consumers expect inflation to be higher in the short term, but households, overall, are more optimistic about their future financial standing.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
In the short term, if the schedule change leads to fewer vaccinations, children in America will suffer through more diarrhea from rotavirus, nausea from hepatitis A, and fevers from the flu.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 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 11 Jan. 2026.
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