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
Economists said there wouldn't be much inflationary relief for consumers in the short term as a result.
—
Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
But coach Billy Donovan says there’s not much the team can do about his shot in the short term.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
More steel will be needed for wind turbines, more aluminium for lightweight EVs, and thermal coal consumption is expected to rise in the short term as electricity demand surges.
—Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
In the short term, her challenge is managing the pressure dynamics of a tennis match, which flip and shift in sometimes hard-to-see ways.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
But coach Billy Donovan says there’s not much the team can do about his shot in the short term.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
More steel will be needed for wind turbines, more aluminium for lightweight EVs, and thermal coal consumption is expected to rise in the short term as electricity demand surges.
—Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
In the short term, her challenge is managing the pressure dynamics of a tennis match, which flip and shift in sometimes hard-to-see ways.
—James Hansen, New York Times, 10 Mar. 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 13 Mar. 2026.
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