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
Why might Republicans benefit more than Democrats from the decision, at least in the short term?
—
Will Lennon,
ABC News,
1 July 2026
That political independence has enabled the Fed to make decisions that might be unpopular in the short term, but that have the best interests of the US economy in mind for the long term.
—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
Meanwhile, in the short term, wildfire conditions are still critical for the Southwest, particularly in the Four Corners area, and portions of the Great Basin, the National Weather Service said.
—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
The dollar’s share of global FX reserves fell from 71% in 2001 to around 57% at the end of 2025, but this reflects that this is a slow movement and not one that will have ramifications in the short term.
—
Daniel Webber,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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Will Lennon,
ABC News,
1 July 2026
That political independence has enabled the Fed to make decisions that might be unpopular in the short term, but that have the best interests of the US economy in mind for the long term.
—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
Meanwhile, in the short term, wildfire conditions are still critical for the Southwest, particularly in the Four Corners area, and portions of the Great Basin, the National Weather Service said.
—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
The dollar’s share of global FX reserves fell from 71% in 2001 to around 57% at the end of 2025, but this reflects that this is a slow movement and not one that will have ramifications in the short term.
—
Daniel Webber,
Forbes.com,
29 June 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 5 Jul. 2026.
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