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
Head Start programs with grant cycles that begin in October will likely experience disruptions in the short term, according to First Focus on Children, a bipartisan advocacy nonprofit focused on supports for women and children.
—
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, consistently winning in the short term has enabled the Bearcats to stack victories for decades.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Oct. 2025
For Livramento, this means his hopes of going to the World Cup with England remain very much alive, too, so as damaging as this may prove for Newcastle in the short term, this can only be considered a good prognosis.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
The plan envisions a reconstructed strip supported principally by regional players that could stabilize the region and provide in the short term humanitarian relief and in the long term economic opportunities to Gazans.
—Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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Joey Garrison, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, consistently winning in the short term has enabled the Bearcats to stack victories for decades.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Oct. 2025
For Livramento, this means his hopes of going to the World Cup with England remain very much alive, too, so as damaging as this may prove for Newcastle in the short term, this can only be considered a good prognosis.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
The plan envisions a reconstructed strip supported principally by regional players that could stabilize the region and provide in the short term humanitarian relief and in the long term economic opportunities to Gazans.
—Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 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 Oct. 2025.
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