special interest

noun

: a person or group seeking to influence legislative or government policy to further often narrowly defined interests

especially : lobby

Synonyms of special interest

• interest
• interest group

Examples of special interest in a Sentence

promised that as governor he would never be beholden to special interests

Recent Examples on the Web

Based in London, Tal has a special interest in travel, food and whisky, often basing her travels around distilleries and brewery tours, or pet-friendly destinations. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026

Outside groups spent millions in both the District 3 and District 9 races, with labor unions and special interest groups supporting candidates through independent expenditures. — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

And right now, that means taking on the corporations and the billionaires, the special interests who've rigged the system against us for far too long. — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

In John’s 2008 novel The Appeal, an ambitious young attorney is unwittingly recruited by some nefarious special interests to seek election to the state supreme court. — David Baldacci, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for special interest

• noninterest