vested interest

noun

Definition of vested interest

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

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 on the Web

As a former colonial power, Britain had a vested interest in maintaining political stability in the region. — Janine Di Giovanni, The New York Review of Books, "Sierra Leone, 2000: A Case History in Successful Interventionism," 7 June 2019 Hard-liners, though, resist economic liberalization out of adherence to the Communist Party’s ideological roots and in defense of their own vested interests. — Weijian Shan, WSJ, "Both Sides Can Win the Trade War," 13 Aug. 2018 As anyone with a vested interest in the royals will know, Markle has been speaking to the press about... — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, "Meghan Markle Is Taking a Firm Stance on How to Deal with Her Dad's Behavior," 20 Dec. 2018 There is also the vested interest that pressure groups have in selling bad news in exchange for donations. — Matt Ridley, WSJ, "Why Is It So Cool to Be Gloomy?," 15 Nov. 2018 There are so many vested interests and so much public aversion to rapid change, so many governments to be coordinated, so many economic and technology trends that must fall just the right way. — David Roberts, Vox, "What genuine, no-bullshit ambition on climate change would look like," 8 Oct. 2018 His successor, James Brokenshire, will take time to master his brief and get the measure of the vested interests that have run riot in this area. — The Economist, "Sajid Javid gets to work on a formidable in-tray," 3 May 2018 The editorial also questioned the motivation of Lewis and his colleagues, several of whom were associated with the University of Pennsylvania and therefore had a vested interest in defending Morton's science as being free from bias. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "There’s new evidence confirming bias of the “father of scientific racism”," 4 Oct. 2018 The fossil fuel industry seemingly has a vested interest in making sure none of that comes to pass. — Emily Hernandez, Teen Vogue, "What Is Climate Change? Everything You Need To Know About Global Warming," 17 July 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.

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Last Updated

24 Jun 2019

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The first known use of vested interest was in 1818

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More Definitions for vested interest

vested interest

noun

Financial Definition of vested interest

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

noun