as in interest
a group of people with a common identifying interest that they seek to protect and promote
promised that as governor he would never be beholden to special interests
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of special interest
In addition to large sums donated to campaign accounts, groups with a special interest in California policy can also provide gifts to lawmakers and fly them to conferences or to learn about policies of other countries.
—
Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2025
There's special interest in the effect of the National Guard, which don't have direct policing powers.
—Martin Kaste, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
In her record-breaking guest spot on New Heights that same month, the superstar and her future brother-in-law discussed one of her special interests, numerology — which seems to have made an impact on Jason, who contemplated Travis’ new age on their show Wednesday.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Putting it simply, the residents and my community are my only special interest.
—Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for special interest
Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2025
There's special interest in the effect of the National Guard, which don't have direct policing powers.
—Martin Kaste, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
In her record-breaking guest spot on New Heights that same month, the superstar and her future brother-in-law discussed one of her special interests, numerology — which seems to have made an impact on Jason, who contemplated Travis’ new age on their show Wednesday.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
Putting it simply, the residents and my community are my only special interest.
—Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for special interest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for special interest
Noun
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That critique of American foreign policy – that US high-mindedness and democratic idealism conceal naked corporate interests – persisted through the Cold War and into the 21st Century.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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Health care, housing, and education would be built to be affordable, driven by real results from the bottom up--not by party interests trickling down.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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At the regulation’s first hearing in November, more than three dozen public interest groups opposed the rules, while the insurance industry supported the rules.—
Pat Maio,
Daily News,
8 Jan. 2026
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Otherwise politicians and interest groups will continue to demand tax increases as tax dollars disappear into pockets that may include their own.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Special interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/special%20interest. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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