long-range
Americanadjective
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considering or extending into the future.
a long-range outlook; long-range plans.
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designed to cover or operate over a long distance.
long-range rockets.
adjective
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of or extending into the future
a long-range weather forecast
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(of vehicles, aircraft, etc) capable of covering great distances without refuelling
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(of weapons) made to be fired at a distant target
Etymology
Origin of long-range
First recorded in 1865–70
Explanation
Something long-range has a long reach or can be used over long distances. A long-range missile is a weapon that travels a long way before it explodes. Long-range aircraft can travel for many miles, and the long-range travel of many migratory birds spans nearly as large a distance. You can also use the adjective long-range to describe a large span of time, rather than distance: "My long-range plans include running for President when I'm in my fifties or sixties."
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.
U.S. stockpiles of long-range Precision Strike Missiles and Army Tactical Missile Systems, as well as short-range Stinger surface-to-air missiles, are severely depleted, officials have said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Production of the long-range Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, will take place at Rheinmetall’s Unterluess facility in Germany, one of its largest sites that makes weapon systems and ammunition and tracked vehicles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reported the US has used much of its global stockpile of long-range precision missiles during the war, citing two unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the subject.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
The research team investigated a group of theoretical models in which dark matter particles interact through a long-range force in addition to gravity.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
Sergeant Simpson said that, because of Gearhart’s training, they were using our squad on long-range reconnaissance.
From "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers
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.
