short-term
Americanadjective
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covering or applying to a relatively short period of time.
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maturing over a relatively short period of time.
a short-term loan.
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(of profit, loss, interest, etc.) of or relating to a short term, especially one year or less.
adjective
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of, for, or extending over a limited period
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finance extending over, maturing within, or required within a short period of time, usually twelve months
short-term credit
short-term capital
Etymology
Origin of short-term
First recorded in 1900–05
Explanation
Anything short-term doesn't last long. A short-term romance might be for a few weeks instead of a lifetime, and a short-term job won't provide you long-term security. The word term often applies to units of time, like a politician's term in office. This word has to do with time, but only small amounts of time: anything short-term occurs for a little while, and then it's over. A short-term illness goes away quickly, and a short-term problem won't weigh you down for long. The opposite of short-term is long-term, which refers to things happening for a greater period of time.
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.
Unrelated to the Blue Flag scheme, red flags can sometimes be flown at beaches and bathing waters following a short-term pollution incident.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
“The question is: Can we translate that short-term capability of delivering for these events into something that for the long term delivers for the people who live here?”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
While longer-term bond yields surged, short-term Treasury yields fell on concerns that the Fed would wait too long to raise interest rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Spikes in that ratio have flagged short-term stock peaks in the last two decades, as plunges flagged several market troughs.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
“Alby, do you have a short-term memory problem? I risked my life to save you out in the Maze—you’d be dead if it wasn’t for me!”
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
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.
