the long term

noun

: a long period of time after the beginning of something
She is investing for the long term.
I think it's the better choice over the long term.
an investment that should do well in the long term
These changes may improve profits now, but they are going to cost us money in the long term.

Examples of the long term in a Sentence

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.
Asked about the strength in networking, Tan said on the call that, over the long term, networking should be less than 30% of AI revenues. Zev Fima, CNBC, 5 June 2025 Developers are incentivized to build quality properties, manage efficiently and maintain affordability over the long term, while public agencies focus on setting standards and ensuring compliance. Seth Gellis, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025 No one should realistically believe that this current little rift between President Trump and Leonard Leo will have any impact on that in the long term. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025 At a fundamental level, the strategic aims were to remove the terror threat to Israel from Gaza for the long term by destroying Hamas’s military capabilities and creating buffer zones in and around the territory, and to create the conditions needed to achieve the return of all the hostages. Assaf Orion, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for the long term

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The long term.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20long%20term. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

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!