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.
Guggenheim Treasury Services connects investors who want a safe place to stash cash with banks that need short-term funding.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
The bank levy currently charges 0.1% on outstanding short-term loans and 0.05% on longer-dated loans, although mortgages are excluded from the calculation.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Rising immigration and the growth of short-term tourist rentals have added to demand, while bureaucracy and labour shortages are slowing construction.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
When it comes to ice baths, side-stepping short-term pain may sacrifice long-term gains.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
Maya polities were not large enough to maintain standing armies; instead both Kaan and Oxwitza’ mustered short-term militiamen to fight wars.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
