long-standing

long-standing — adjective

1. describes something — such as a relationship, tradition, or problem — that conti

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes something — such as a relationship, tradition, or problem — that continues to be present or important after many years

Example

The Watanabe family has a long-standing tradition of gathering for a big meal every Sunday.

collocation: long-standing tradition

After years of talks, India and Nepal finally resolved their long-standing border dispute.

collocation: long-standing dispute

Common collocations
  • long-standing tradition
  • long-standing problem
  • long-standing dispute
  • long-standing relationship
  • long-standing commitment
  • long-standing reputation
  • long-standing rule
  • long-standing agreement
  • long-standing friendship
  • long-standing issue
Synonyms
  • established

    more neutral; can refer to something set up a long time ago (an established custom) but is also used for institutions (established in 1998)

  • enduring

    emphasises lasting through difficulties or challenges (an enduring friendship)

  • time-honored

    typically used for traditions or customs that have been respected for a long time (a time-honored practice); more formal and approving than long-standing

Antonyms
  • recent

    the direct opposite — something that began only a short time ago (a recent development)

  • short-lived

    contrasts in duration — something that did not last long (a short-lived success)

Grammar Patterns

long-standing + noun (attributive)

be + long-standing (predicative)

Usage Note

Frequently used before nouns such as tradition, problem, dispute, relationship, commitment, reputation, and rule. Can also follow the verb 'be' (e.g. the issue is long-standing). No comparative or superlative form is used.

Common Mistakes

A long-term tradition in our village.
A long-standing tradition in our village.
'long-term' refers to future duration or planning; 'long-standing' refers to something that has already existed for a long time in the past.

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something that lasts, but they differ in focus. Long-standing emphasises that something has already existed for many years — it looks backward in time (a long-standing problem). Established is broader: it can mean 'set up long ago' (an established company) but also 'widely accepted' (established facts). Enduring adds the idea of surviving difficulties (an enduring peace). Time-honored carries a respectful tone and is typically limited to customs, traditions, or practices (a time-honored ritual). Long-term looks forward — it describes duration into the future (a long-term plan). Compare: 'They have a long-standing agreement that was signed in 1995' vs. 'They are making a long-term plan for the next decade.'

establishedenduringtime-honoredlong-term ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • fairly long-standing
  • very long-standing
  • particularly long-standing

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Long-standing is a compound of 'long' (from Old English lang, meaning 'of great duration') and 'standing' (the present participle of 'stand', from Old English standan, meaning 'to remain in place'). The compound started appearing in the 1600s to describe traditions, customs, and relationships that had 'stood' (remained) for a long time. Over the centuries it expanded to any situation — problems, disputes, agreements — that continues to exist after many years.