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 term

It 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

Washington should shift its focus away from denuclearization, at least in the short term, to concentrate on more achievable nuclear arms control and safety measures. — Stephen E. Biegun, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2026

Carbon dioxide is the number one driver of climate change, but methane is a much more powerful planet-heating gas in the short term — trapping roughly 80 times more heat over a 20-year time frame. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2026

Leaders who remain at the center of the work may increase speed in the short term, but over time, that approach can restrict the capacity, decision-making and growth of others. — Kelly Baker, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2026

If the baby survives in the short term, a congenital measles infection places them at higher risk of later developing a progressive and fatal neurological condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), the CDC says. — Dr. Jade Cobern, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026

Rhymes for the short term

• disaffirm
• ectoderm
• endoderm
• endosperm
• interfirm
• isotherm
• mesoderm
• periderm
• reaffirm
• affirm
• bookworm
• budworm