in the long run

Idioms  

1. Over a lengthy period of time, in the end. For example, He realized that in the long run, their argument wouldn't seem so awful. This expression, which originated as at the long run in the early 1600s, presumably alludes to a runner who continues on his course to the end. Economist John Maynard Keynes used it in a much-quoted quip about economic planning: “In the long run we are all dead.” The antonym, in the short run, meaning “over a short period of time,” dates only from the 1800s. The novelist George Eliot used both in a letter (October 18, 1879): “Mrs. Healy's marriage is surely what you expected in the long or short run.”

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Example Sentences

Arguably such spirited rivalries can be good for consumers in the long run.

From The Wall Street Journal

Lead author Dr. Zhaolun Cai explains: "While the idea of aspirin preventing bowel cancer in the long run is intriguing, our analysis shows that this benefit is not guaranteed and comes with immediate risks."

From Science Daily

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has defended the government’s expansive social programs, saying that they will boost productivity, advance the economy and save costs in the long run.

From The Wall Street Journal

What most everyone seemed to agree on is that AI would be beneficial in the long run.

From MarketWatch

“Of course, leaving new employees off the job ladder is not sustainable in the long run. In the long run, AI adoption will require rethinking how entry-level employees gain experience on the job,” Davis wrote.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• already
• belatedly
• eventually
• someday
• sooner or later
• subsequently
• ultimately