long hauler

American  

[lawng hawl-er, long] / ˈlɔŋ ˈhɔl ər, ˈlɒŋ /

Or long-hauler

noun

1. a person, especially a truck driver, who travels over great distances.

2. a vehicle for the transport of freight or passengers over great distances, especially a truck or airplane.

3. a company involved in the transport of freight or passengers over great distances, especially a trucking company.

4. a person who goes through a long period of considerable effort or difficulty, especially when committed to undertaking a job or task.

   Without struggle there is no progress—we’re long haulers, not summer soldiers.

5. Pathology. a person who experiences symptoms or health problems that linger or first appear after supposed recovery from an associated acute illness or active infection.

   Long-haulers have reported chronic fatigue, muscle aches, difficulty concentrating, and other debilitating aftereffects of COVID-19, often lasting for several months.

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Etymology

Origin of long hauler

First recorded in 1900–05; long hauler def. 5 was coined by American preschool teacher Amy Watson in 2020

Example Sentences

After seven months I wrote about what it felt like to be what was then termed a "long hauler".

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2023

Jay recovers, but now he's a long hauler who occasionally hallucinates, typically manifesting visions of Frederick Douglass and Karl Marx.

From Salon • Jul. 22, 2021

If you’re also a long hauler, I’d like to hear about your experience.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2021

Although her progress is slow, Flynn says she is grateful to have doctors who know what it means to be a long hauler.

From Scientific American • Jun. 30, 2021