vested interest

noun

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

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

See vested interest defined for English-language learners

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 of vested interest from the Web

Not surprisingly, investors are comparing the growth of this wider ecosystem to the impact of big-tech corporations like Google, Apple, Amazon and eBay (all of which have their own vested interests in music, through either streaming or ticketing).

— cherie hu, Billboard, "As Streaming Fuels Music Industry's Growth, More VC & Finance Veterans Move In," 4 Apr. 2018
Powerful vested interests in countries with large financial centers or with high levels of corruption are reluctant to hand the EU greater powers.

— simon nixon, WSJ, "The Dark Underbelly of Europe’s Financial System," 14 Mar. 2018
Dimas said the National Rifle Association has a vested interest in manufacturing and selling guns and is not interested in having sensible gun laws passed.

— julie cornell, Houston Chronicle, "March For Our Lives event in The Woodlands draws more than 1,000 protesters," 25 Mar. 2018
Trouble is, the therapist is under the employ of a hospital that has a vested interest in admitting patients for 72-hour holds and draining insurance money from them.

— richard lawson, HWD, "Claire Foy Gives a Star Turn in Harrowing Unsane," 23 Mar. 2018
But lately, there is no solution more easily blamed for the problems of gun violence in America than mental illness — especially by the people with a vested interest in ensuring guns do not become the primary target of our criticism.

— lincoln anthony blades, Teen Vogue, "Gun Violence and Mental Illness: What You Need to Know," 23 Mar. 2018
The Democratic Party’s corporate wing has a vested interest in the idea that moderation on issues of regulation and redistribution is an electoral necessity in pro-Trump regions.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "The Radical Proposal That Moderate Democrats Should Be Running On," 22 Mar. 2018
The losers will be those whose vested interests and lack of alternatives keep them wedded to fossil fuels.

— The Economist, "A good, clean fightGlobal powers need to take the geopolitics out of energy," 15 Mar. 2018
When questioned by Tribune reporters, officials offered a series of changing responses but ultimately said that the model was flawed and that Berry and others involved had a vested interest in the county using it.

— jason grotto, chicagotribune.com, "Flawed assessments under Assessor Berrios caused $2 billion shift in Chicago property taxes, study finds," 15 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vested interest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of vested interest

1818

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Financial Definition of VESTED INTEREST

vested interest

noun

What It Is

A vested interest is a right of ownership which is not dependent on something else.

How It Works

When a possession, ownership interest or the use of tangible property is present and unencumbered by any conditions, it is known as a vested interest. The clear and unencumbered interest is not reliant or contingent on anything other conditions or events. For example, a vested interest can mean stock or options that are transferred and available to the recipient. A vested interest in real estate means the owner of the property. A vested interest in a pension plan, for example, may mean that the employee is qualified to take the benefits of the pension plan, including the contributions by the employer.

Why It Matters

A vested interest in tangible property represents an important asset on a company's or personal balance sheet. Understanding the conditions of a potential borrower's vestment (i.e. establishing a vested interest) in a particular asset is an important part of the due diligence process for a creditor.

Source: Investing Answers

VESTED INTEREST Defined for English Language Learners

vested interest

noun

: a personal or private reason for wanting something to be done or to happen

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vested interest

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