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extending far into the future; involving or applicable to a long period of time
Investing in long-term bonds is less risky than short-term trading.
Bond investments held for many years are safer than frequent trading.
The project requires a long-term commitment from all team members.
The work demands sustained effort over many months or years.
Often used in business, finance, and planning contexts to contrast with short-term or immediate concerns.
Use a hyphen when 'long-term' functions as an adjective before a noun (e.g., 'long-term plan'). Omit the hyphen when it follows a noun or acts as an adverb (e.g., 'plan for the long term', 'think long term').
Avoid pairing 'long-term' with redundant time markers like 'future' (e.g., 'long-term future plans' is unnecessary; 'long-term plans' suffices).
The phrase combines 'long' (Old English 'lang', meaning 'distant in space or time') and 'term' (from Latin 'terminus', meaning 'boundary or limit'). The compound emerged in the 17th century to describe durations extending beyond the immediate or near future.
Used as a compound adjective (e.g., 'long-term strategy') or adverb (e.g., 'plan long term'). In formal writing, hyphenation ('long-term') is preferred when used as an adjective before a noun.