long-term
Americanadjective
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covering a relatively long period of time.
a long-term lease.
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maturing over or after a relatively long period of time.
a long-term loan; a long-term bond.
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(of a capital gain or loss) derived from the sale or exchange of an asset held for more than a specified time, as six months or one year.
adjective
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lasting, staying, or extending over a long time
long-term prospects
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finance maturing after a long period of time
a long-term bond
Etymology
Origin of long-term
First recorded in 1905–10
Explanation
Something that's long-term has lasted for quite a while. If you have a long-term girlfriend, she's been in your life for years. Use the adjective long-term to describe things that are so enduring that they're nearly permanent. Someone who's a long-term resident of Canada has lived there for a very long time, and news of long-term unemployment is discouraging because it means people have been out of work for months and months. Long-term was originally a word describing only insurance policies, in the 1870's.
Vocabulary lists containing long-term
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By focusing on long-term legislative strategy, coalition-building, and institutional influence, these accounts present the trajectory as evidence of enduring personal political skill, rather than primarily as a product of early consultant-driven campaigns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
The new policy is intended to secure long-term benefits from Zimbabwe's natural wealth, government spokesman Nick Mangwana said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
These long-term research volunteers have contributed years of their time to help scientists define successful cognitive aging and identify new pathways that may promote resilience.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
Draper, who withdrew with a long-term arm injury, said he felt the amount of injuries suffered by leading players is "pretty worrying".
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
But the urgency of the competition with the Soviets created pressure to adopt the quickest, surest way into space, even if it was a little crude, or sacrificed long-term spacefaring viability for short-term earthly victory.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
