long-term

adjective

ˈlȯŋ-ˈtərm 

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

Synonyms of long-term

• long
• lengthy

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

When guidance systems are designed to provide clear, trusted support, families can make informed choices that align with students’ goals, reduce the risk of unnecessary debt, and strengthen long-term opportunity. —Brennan Barnard, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

The long-term goal, as per the tech billinare is to produce 1 million robots per year at the Fremont facility. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026

Business The inside story of DeepMind Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking. —Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026

While the Department of Justice deemed the shooting self-defense, the incident sparked widespread protests and brought long-term scrutiny to policing in the area. —Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for long-term

• affirm
• bookworm
• confirm
• cutworm
• earthworm
• infirm
• midterm
• tapeworm
• wireworm
• angiosperm
• echinoderm
• berm

Kids Definition

long-term

adjective

-ˈtərm

: extending over or involving a long period of time