long-term
Long-term (adjective) means Lasting, continuing or taking effect over a long period of time. Example: “The council has no long-term plan for the site.”
How to use long-term
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that lasts a long time or that matters far into the future.
Neutral; standard in business, medicine and policy writing.
"Longstanding" describes something that has already lasted a long time; "long-term" usually looks forward.
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Can you complete this real example?
The council has no _____ plan for the site.
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Frequently asked questions
Is long-term hyphenated?
Hyphenate it when it comes directly before a noun: "a long-term contract". Leave the hyphen out when it follows the verb or forms a noun phrase: "the effects are long term", "in the long term".
How long is long-term?
There is no fixed threshold; it depends entirely on the field. In finance, long-term usually means more than a year; in health care, it can mean months of ongoing treatment; in climate science, it can mean decades.
What is the difference between long-term and long-run?
They overlap heavily in everyday use. "Long run" is more common in the fixed phrase "in the long run", which suggests eventual outcome, while "long-term" is the standard modifier before nouns, as in "long-term care".
What is the meaning of long-term?
"long-term" (adjective) means lasting, continuing or taking effect over a long period of time.