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.
It ended June with $43.5 billion in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Many residents in popular destinations like Barcelona complain that short-term tourist accommodation is limiting supply and driving up prices.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The futures fund, by contrast, keeps a sizable cash balance in short-term Treasury bills to meet margin and collateral requirements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
"An important next step will be to design clinical trials to test whether short-term dietary changes can improve clinical outcomes in patients."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
“That was a short-term emergency, and it was ordered by the goddess. I will not go across country and fight many dangers in the company of a boy.”
From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan
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.
