1
: occurring over or involving a relatively long period of time
seeking long-term solutions
2
a
: of, relating to, or constituting a financial operation or obligation based on a considerable term and especially one of more than 10 years
long-term bonds
b
: generated by assets held for longer than six months
a long-term capital gain

Examples of long-term in a Sentence

before approving a new drug, the government insists on some long-term research to determine any possible side effects
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Al-Falih emphasized his country’s long-term strategy of building supply chain resilience and energy capacity to power the digital economy of the future. Dave Smith, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025 Indiana needed more information before committing big money to Mathurin as a long-term piece, even if that certainly costs the Pacers more a year from now. John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 Of course, the profits would come in the form of tax revenue from the gargantuan long-term economic impact of the project — not from a spike in stock prices. Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025 Betts said his support is rooted not only in the product — but in Taylor’s long-term vision. Marcus Smith, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for long-term

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of long-term was in 1867

Cite this Entry

“Long-term.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long-term. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

long-term

adjective
-ˈtərm
: extending over or involving a long period of time
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!