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
In the short term, the Leafs seemed to single out goaltending for their recent woes.
—
Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
That said, the chances of additional mortgage rate relief, at least in the short term, appear low right now.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
In the short term, Costco should benefit from nationwide pantry loading following the recent winter storms.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
These loans stabilized some economies in the short term, but also made other problems, such as inequality and debt, worse.
—Ana L. Ros, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
That said, the chances of additional mortgage rate relief, at least in the short term, appear low right now.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
In the short term, Costco should benefit from nationwide pantry loading following the recent winter storms.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 27 Jan. 2026
These loans stabilized some economies in the short term, but also made other problems, such as inequality and debt, worse.
—Ana L. Ros, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 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 29 Jan. 2026.
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