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 new project, announced ahead of the company's third-quarter earnings call, follows announcements earlier this year that cast doubt on any large-scale construction projects happening in the short term.
—
Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
In the short term, however, Daniels' hamstring injury is seemingly severe enough to affect his availability for Monday's game in Kansas City.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Baker said Yolo Food Bank is girding for the short term.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
And, in the short term, if history is any guide, a little friendly rivalry between teams will only accelerate progress.
—Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the short term
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Oct. 2025
In the short term, however, Daniels' hamstring injury is seemingly severe enough to affect his availability for Monday's game in Kansas City.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Baker said Yolo Food Bank is girding for the short term.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2025
And, in the short term, if history is any guide, a little friendly rivalry between teams will only accelerate progress.
—Big Think, 20 Oct. 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 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share