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.
The influence of labor groups in California politics was part of the reason the public has lost faith in politicians, Broome said, comparing the unions to other special interest groups, like Wall Street and developers. William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026 Tillery said the tax cut wouldn’t require a sales tax hike because it would be funded by eliminating special interest tax exemptions, including the controversial sales tax exemption for the state’s booming data center industry. Kevin Hardy, States Newsroom, 24 Mar. 2026 Brakel, a Crowley ISD graduate, has a special interest in the community. Myah Taylor, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026 According to some watchdog estimates, political action committees have spent more than $31 million on the primaries, with special interest groups hoping their money will sway voters making their way to the polls. Sabrina Franza, CBS News, 16 Mar. 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 31 Mar. 2026.

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