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 litigation in the case continues, but in the short term, many migrants will be left with difficult choices.
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Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
Today’s leadership challenge is to build businesses that are not only efficient and competitive in the short term, but credible, trustworthy, and resilient over time.
—Mary Johnstone-Louis, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Clothing and textiles are especially impacted: prices for shoes have climbed 15 percent, and apparel is up 14 percent in the short term.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
In the short term, separating Brunson and Towns for as much as possible could be an option.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for the short term
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Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
Today’s leadership challenge is to build businesses that are not only efficient and competitive in the short term, but credible, trustworthy, and resilient over time.
—Mary Johnstone-Louis, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Clothing and textiles are especially impacted: prices for shoes have climbed 15 percent, and apparel is up 14 percent in the short term.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
In the short term, separating Brunson and Towns for as much as possible could be an option.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 29 May 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 12 Jun. 2025.
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