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

But Hogg pointed instead to special interests and corporations that have long held sway over both dominant American political parties. — Michel Martin, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026

Twenty-six years without a serious challenge, millions in special interest contributions, and no opponent in sight can change a politician, and not for the better. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026

Deep Sea Vision previously led an unsuccessful six-month search to find Amelia Earhart's plane, but Romeo had a special interest in this case because his father was a mechanic and pilot for Pan Am airlines. — ABC News, 21 July 2026

Use special interest groups, chats or webpages on your internal communications platform to normalize both financial stress and financial wellness. — Dr. Erika Rasure, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for special interest

• noninterest