long-term
Americanadjective
-
covering a relatively long period of time.
a long-term lease.
-
maturing over or after a relatively long period of time.
a long-term loan; a long-term bond.
-
(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
-
lasting, staying, or extending over a long time
long-term prospects
-
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.
Treasury paper or investment-grade bonds could mean missing out on opportunities for much better long-term returns, according to portfolio managers at Morgan Stanley.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Pip seeks to offset the extra costs that can occur for those living with certain long-term health conditions.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
But it doesn’t seem to explain the latest move higher in long-term rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
In addition to high-yield corporates, Shaw cited three themes that have helped the Morgan Stanley team achieve strong long-term performance for the fund:
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
But Doc had said he was in a long-term facility.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
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.
