special interest

noun

Synonyms of special interestnext
: a person or group seeking to influence legislative or government policy to further often narrowly defined interests
especially : lobby

Examples of special interest in a Sentence

promised that as governor he would never be beholden to special interests
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This race hasn’t attracted nearly the level of special interest spending that the other two Assembly contests have, but ACLU Action has spent $1,000 in support of Kluwe. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 27 May 2026 The competitor for this office is a lifelong politician who will be beholden to political and special interest groups. Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 26 May 2026 Long a refrain of strident progressives and good-government reformers, accusations that political rivals are self-dealing or bought by special interests have become a mainstay of Democratic primaries. Matt Brown, Fortune, 25 May 2026 Feldstein Soto said both of her challengers are financially beholden to special interests, pointing to McKinney’s Airbnb windfall money Roy has taken from a political action committee bankrolled by an organization whose attorneys often sue the city. Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for special interest

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of special interest was in 1906

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Special interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special%20interest. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster