in the long run

prepositional phrase

After a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.

Similar
in the long term
Opposite
in the short runin the short term
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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticAfter a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.

    But this long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead.

    1923, John Maynard Keynes, chapter 3, in A Tract on Monetary Reform, page 80
    1 more example

    If we have learned one thing from the history of invention and discovery, it is that, in the long run — and often in the short one — the most daring prophecies seem laughably conservative.

    1951, Arthur C. Clarke, The Exploration of Space, page 111

    Synonyms: in the long term

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseAfter a very long time; eventually; over a long period of time; more generally.

Similar
in the long term
Opposite
in the short runin the short term
Also see
eventuallyin the long term

Translations

Arabic مَعَ التَّمَادِي, عَلَى المَدَى الطَّوِيل
  • مَعَ التَّمَادِي (maʕa t-tamādī)eventually
  • عَلَى المَدَى الطَّوِيل (ʕalā l-madā ṭ-ṭawīl)eventually
  • عَلَى الْمَدَى الْبَعِيد (ʕalā l-madā l-baʕīd)eventually
Catalan a llarg termini
  • a llarg terminieventually
Danish i det lange løb, på længere sigt
  • i det lange løbeventually
  • på længere sigteventually
  • i den lange endeeventually
Dutch op den duur, op termijn
  • op den duureventually
  • op termijneventually
  • uiteindelijkeventually
Finnish ajan mittaan, ajan oloon
  • ajan mittaaneventually
  • ajan olooneventually
  • pidemmän päälleeventually
  • pitkällä aikavälilläeventually
  • pitkällä tähtäimelläeventually
French à terme, à long terme
  • à termeeventually
  • à long termeeventually
  • à la longueeventually
German auf lange Sicht, langfristig
  • auf lange Sichteventually
  • langfristigeventually
Greek μακροπρόθεσμα
  • μακροπρόθεσμα (makropróthesma)eventually
Hungarian hosszú távon
  • hosszú távoneventually
Icelandic er til lengdar lætur, til lengdar
  • er til lengdar lætureventually
  • til lengdareventually
  • í lengdinaeventually
  • í lengdeventually
Irish i ndeireadh na dála
  • i ndeireadh na dálaeventually
Italian a lungo termine, alla lunga
  • a lungo termineeventually
  • alla lungaeventually
  • a lungo andareeventually
  • nel lungo termineeventually
Korean 결국에는
  • 결국에는 (gyeolgugeneun)eventually
Persian در بلندمدت, در درازمدت
  • در بلندمدت (dar boland-moddat)eventually
  • در درازمدت (dar derâz-moddat)eventually
Polish na dłuższą metę
  • na dłuższą metęeventually
Portuguese a longo prazo
  • a longo prazoeventually
Russian долгосро́чно, в перспекти́ве
  • долгосро́чно (dolgosróčno)eventually
  • в перспекти́ве (v perspektíve)eventually
Scottish Gaelic anns an ùine fhada, aig a' cheann thall
  • anns an ùine fhadaeventually
  • aig a' cheann thalleventually
Spanish a largo plazo, a la larga
  • a largo plazoeventually
  • a la largaeventually
Swedish i det långa loppet, i längden
  • i det långa loppeteventually
  • i längdeneventually
Cite this entry
APA

in the long run. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20long%20run

MLA

“in the long run.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20long%20run. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in the long run,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20long%20run.

Source: in the long run on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.