long hauler

or long-haul·er

[ lawng hawl-er, long ]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of long hauler¹

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

Example Sentences

The backlog had been declining before the pandemic, but with pent-up demand from the last year and the likely influx of long haulers, wait times are expected to rise again.

From Time