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 two are very comparable, but Tucker is expected to be the much better player over the next 10 years.
—
Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
Because experimentation rarely paid in the short term, social rewards—status, respect, admiration—became vital for sustaining artists on a path of invention.
—W. David Marx, The Atlantic, 25 Nov. 2025
For many pro-Trump farmers, political belief outweighed market logic – at least in the short term.
—Kee Hyun Park, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
In the short term, stress responses aren’t a problem and can even help people be more efficient.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
Because experimentation rarely paid in the short term, social rewards—status, respect, admiration—became vital for sustaining artists on a path of invention.
—W. David Marx, The Atlantic, 25 Nov. 2025
For many pro-Trump farmers, political belief outweighed market logic – at least in the short term.
—Kee Hyun Park, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
In the short term, stress responses aren’t a problem and can even help people be more efficient.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 20 Nov. 2025
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 Nov. 2025.
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