vested interest
noun
1
: an interest (such as a title to an estate) carrying a legal right of present or future enjoyment
specifically
: a right vested in an employee under a pension plan
2
: a special concern or stake in maintaining or influencing a condition, arrangement, or action especially for selfish ends
3
: one having a vested interest in something
specifically
: a group enjoying benefits from an existing economic or political privilege
Examples of vested interest in a Sentence
She has a vested interest in seeing the business sold, as she'll make a profit from the sale.
Recent Examples on the Web
Connecticut’s lawmakers have a vested interest in the success of Sikorsky, its workforce and suppliers, since it is based in their state and represents a significant part of its defense industry and economy.
—
Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2023
Applying to become a charter school can take years and require the signoff of any number of gatekeepers, some of whom have a vested interest in limiting competition for existing providers.
—Mike McShane, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023
Much like her brother, Claire has expressed a vested interest in making sure Patagonia aligns with her morals.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2022
Of course, all of these parties have a vested interest in the awards-industrial complex.
—Time, 5 Jan. 2023
That smoothed the path to passing major spending deals and keeping the government running in large part because those lawmakers had a vested interest in securing wins for their constituents.
—Carl Hulse, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2022
Rather than hiring to fill new roles, consider upskilling your current people and amping up their responsibilities to give them a more vested interest.
—Michael Praeger, Forbes, 10 Nov. 2022
These oligarchs have a vested interest in maintaining this alliance.
—James North, The New Republic, 16 Dec. 2022
The main way to counter the malign power of vested interest is to meet organized money with organized people.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2021
Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2023
Applying to become a charter school can take years and require the signoff of any number of gatekeepers, some of whom have a vested interest in limiting competition for existing providers.
—Mike McShane, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023
Much like her brother, Claire has expressed a vested interest in making sure Patagonia aligns with her morals.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2022
Of course, all of these parties have a vested interest in the awards-industrial complex.
—Time, 5 Jan. 2023
That smoothed the path to passing major spending deals and keeping the government running in large part because those lawmakers had a vested interest in securing wins for their constituents.
—Carl Hulse, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2022
Rather than hiring to fill new roles, consider upskilling your current people and amping up their responsibilities to give them a more vested interest.
—Michael Praeger, Forbes, 10 Nov. 2022
These oligarchs have a vested interest in maintaining this alliance.
—James North, The New Republic, 16 Dec. 2022
The main way to counter the malign power of vested interest is to meet organized money with organized people.
—Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vested interest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near vested interest
Cite this Entry
“Vested interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vested%20interest. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Legal Definition
vested interest
see interest sense 1
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