short-run

American

[shawrt-ruhn] / ˈʃɔrtˌrʌn /

adjective

happening or presented for a short period of time.

a short-run motion picture.

short run Idioms

see under long run.

Etymology

Origin of short-run

First recorded in 1935–40

Compare meaning

How does short-run compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

short-run vs. long-run

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.

“The Iran situation has created a new source of uncertainty. Despite the announced cease-fire earlier this week, higher energy prices in the short-run will accelerate headline inflation.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

While that may seem trivial, short-run diesel price inelasticity and refinery constraints imply materially higher regional prices, especially if substitutes are costly or slow to arrive.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 4, 2026

“Food prices rise 3.3% in the short-run and stay 2.8% higher in the long-run.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2025

"It will take some time to take effect since most goods being sold in the short-run have already been commissioned at current prices, but we'll see it play out soon."

From BBC • Aug. 2, 2025

And there is, therefore, no easy, short-run way to make them see that their plans cannot prevail.

From State of the Union Address by Truman, Harry S.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023