interest 1 of 2

noun

ˈin-t(ə-)rəst How to pronounce interest (audio)
Definition of interestnext
1
as in stake
a legal right to participation in the advantages, profits, and responsibility of something all of the workers at the food cooperative have an interest in it

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Relevance
2
as in welfare
the state of doing well especially in relation to one's happiness or success make no mistake: she's determined to act in her own interest in this business deal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in firm
a commercial or industrial activity or organization a multinational corporation with interests on every continent

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4
as in special interest
a group of people with a common identifying interest that they seek to protect and promote the contention that the nation's financial interests have too much power

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interest

2 of 2

verb

as in to intrigue
to hold the attention of the book didn't interest me, so I ended up watching the parade of people on the sidewalk

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of interest
Noun
The Navy’s interest underscores its commitment to using the most advanced systems available for modern maritime operations. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026 With these headwinds in sight, the success of Myspace hinges on some key factors, including attracting advertisers, sustaining user interest, and dodging a thorny regulatory environment. — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
The cliche of getting involved in activities that interest you where other people might go is actually a good idea. — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 25 July 2026 The Reds have several players under team control beyond this season who could interest other teams, like outfielder JJ Bleday and infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer, but for now, at least, the team seems to be concentrating on moving rentals. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for interest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interest
  1. stake
  2. welfare
  3. firm
  4. special interest
  5. intrigue
  6. share
  7. good
  8. company
Noun
  • Backstage, Tommaso Ciampa says this year’s Casino Gauntlet has the biggest stakes since the winner earns a chance at the AEW World Championship.
    — Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • One of Thrive’s subsidiaries, Thrive Eternal, focuses on sports acquisitions, purchasing and selling a stake in the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies before acquiring stakes in the Miami Heat and MLB’s San Francisco Giants, among others.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of stake
Noun
  • Animal welfare organizations will assist with monthly Skid Row clinics that provide spay-and-neuter services, vaccinations, microchipping, and more.
    — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The Parks worker, Joshua Moe, 24, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment after the child lost parts of her fingers on her left hand when the firework went off Tuesday evening, police said.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of welfare
Noun
  • O'Neill said the company had made adjustments to how the firm's refining runs are set up to maximize the availability of products consumers most need at any point in time, citing jet fuel and diesel as an example.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
  • These successful firms prioritize solving specific business problems with AI, measuring success in tangible metrics like productivity or customer satisfaction, rather than simply deploying the technology.
    — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of firm
Noun
  • Aside from the board president race, most special interest groups have held off from making major contributions.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Kelly has spent his career as a lobbyist representing special interests.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of special interest
Verb
  • Fersko-Weiss had a friend who’d recently become a birth doula, and the concept intrigued him.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • When Kansas City launched a program to help local businesses fill vacant storefronts during the FIFA World Cup, Béty Lê Shackelford was intrigued.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of intrigue
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the share of California public safety employees with at least 15 years of tenure dramatically rose from about 10% in 1996 to 47% in 2024.
    — Mariana Trujillo, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The firm also hiked its price target on shares to $318, signaling more than 30% upside.
    — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of share
Noun
  • The new, 115,000 square-foot store is expected to employ around 450 people and will sell a variety of food, including produce, baked goods, deli products and will offer a selection of wine and beer.
    — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Maternal and child health programs are perhaps the clearest foreign aid example of small, relatively cheap interventions leading to the greatest good.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of good
Noun
  • Removing them from the list means that insurance companies ultimately may not pay for these two vaccines that are obviously still needed, in view of the data above.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • After the notice of rescission was sent, Teefey allegedly contacted Bespoke’s representatives suggesting that investors should not file a suit claiming the company had an escrow account to return the investments, this week’s lawsuit says.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of company

Phrases Containing interest

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interest
interested
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Cite this Entry

“Interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interest. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on interest

Nglish: Translation of interest for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about interest

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