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 tax exemption that makes Livigno a shoppers' paradise, paradoxically, has left it not receiving the full economic bonus from hosting the Olympics, at least in the short term.
—
ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
In the short term, Chandler said, that could indeed benefit customers, since the supply deficit is real.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Most damaging, though, both from a perception point of view in the short term and a revenue perspective in the longer run, was the news that L’Oréal will be taking over Coty’s crown jewel license of Gucci when its license ends in 2028.
—Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
New York — Advances in AI are unlikely to push down interest rates in the short term, a key Federal Reserve official said Tuesday — a stark contrast to Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh’s plan for slashing borrowing costs.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
In the short term, Chandler said, that could indeed benefit customers, since the supply deficit is real.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Most damaging, though, both from a perception point of view in the short term and a revenue perspective in the longer run, was the news that L’Oréal will be taking over Coty’s crown jewel license of Gucci when its license ends in 2028.
—Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
New York — Advances in AI are unlikely to push down interest rates in the short term, a key Federal Reserve official said Tuesday — a stark contrast to Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh’s plan for slashing borrowing costs.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 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 20 Feb. 2026.
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