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.
The firm’s short-term sentiment composite entered August in its “pessimism” zone before rebounding to neutral after Monday’s rally, suggesting traders remain cautious even as stocks recovered.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
Foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told reporters that the focus of Qatari, Pakistani and Omani officials was on "a short-term resolution that would help us reignite the talks" between Washington and Tehran.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Google itself describes its deal as short-term "backup capacity."
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
The caution has pushed investors into other currencies where they can earn higher returns on short-term bonds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Yet the compression brings a compensating benefit: long-term comparisons of regions yield insights that cannot be won from short-term studies of single societies.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
