short-term
Americanadjective
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covering or applying to a relatively short period of time.
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maturing over a relatively short period of time.
a short-term loan.
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(of profit, loss, interest, etc.) of or relating to a short term, especially one year or less.
adjective
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of, for, or extending over a limited period
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finance extending over, maturing within, or required within a short period of time, usually twelve months
short-term credit
short-term capital
Etymology
Origin of short-term
First recorded in 1900–05
Explanation
Anything short-term doesn't last long. A short-term romance might be for a few weeks instead of a lifetime, and a short-term job won't provide you long-term security. The word term often applies to units of time, like a politician's term in office. This word has to do with time, but only small amounts of time: anything short-term occurs for a little while, and then it's over. A short-term illness goes away quickly, and a short-term problem won't weigh you down for long. The opposite of short-term is long-term, which refers to things happening for a greater period of time.
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.
Flag patterns that follow a significant trend depict a short-term consolidation of that trend, and are often resolved in the same direction of the trend that followed them.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026
The measure is part of a broader policy package announced last week aimed at curbing market swings by raising the cost of leverage and increasing barriers to short-term speculation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
He warned that the SOX must clear short-term resistance of 12,769 to 13,333, following its pullback from a June high.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
The chef said the challenges facing hospitality cannot be solved by short-term measures alone and warned that without wider reform, more independent venues could disappear.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Early losses condition you to believe that short-term plans are always smarter.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
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.
