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
Florida State University professor Charles Nyce, an expert in risk management and insurance, agreed that requiring fire mitigation efforts for new developments would likely have a net-positive effect even though construction costs would rise in the short term.
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Ella McCarthy, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Upskilling is essential, but in the short term, having a partner that can guide deployment and knowledge transfer can bridge that gap without compromising delivery.
—Dimitar Dimitrov, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
John Ross, the CEO of IGA, a chain of independent grocery stores, estimates total funding for SNAP will be cut by 5-6% in the short term and 8-9% in the long run.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
In the short term, low magnesium usually doesn't cause symptoms.
—Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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Ella McCarthy, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Upskilling is essential, but in the short term, having a partner that can guide deployment and knowledge transfer can bridge that gap without compromising delivery.
—Dimitar Dimitrov, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
John Ross, the CEO of IGA, a chain of independent grocery stores, estimates total funding for SNAP will be cut by 5-6% in the short term and 8-9% in the long run.
—Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
In the short term, low magnesium usually doesn't cause symptoms.
—Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 28 July 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 3 Aug. 2025.
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