as in interest
a group that benefits from a particular social, economic, or political privilege
changes to the tax laws being challenged by vested interests
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Recent Examples of vested interest
That smoothed the path to passing major spending deals and keeping the government running in large part because those lawmakers had a vested interest in securing wins for their constituents.
—
Carl Hulse,
New York Times,
26 Dec. 2022
These oligarchs have a vested interest in maintaining this alliance.
—
James North,
The New Republic,
16 Dec. 2022
Much like her brother, Claire has expressed a vested interest in making sure Patagonia aligns with her morals.
—
Chloe Berger,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2022
The main way to counter the malign power of vested interest is to meet organized money with organized people.
—
Bill McKibben,
The New Yorker,
1 Sep. 2021
See All Example Sentences for vested interest
Carl Hulse,
New York Times,
26 Dec. 2022
These oligarchs have a vested interest in maintaining this alliance.
—
James North,
The New Republic,
16 Dec. 2022
Much like her brother, Claire has expressed a vested interest in making sure Patagonia aligns with her morals.
—
Chloe Berger,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2022
The main way to counter the malign power of vested interest is to meet organized money with organized people.
—
Bill McKibben,
The New Yorker,
1 Sep. 2021
See All Example Sentences for vested interest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vested interest
Noun
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However, Lander has accused Goldman of cozying up to Wall Street interests, including corporate political action committees.
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Over the years, Kansas City has shown interest in tight ends with college basketball experience, such as Demetrius Harris and Ross Travis.
Noun
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In the first half of 2026, Republican-leaning donors gave $880 million, compared to $290 million from Democratic-leaning givers and $200 million from bipartisan and special interest groups.
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An agreement can spare those special interests multi-million dollar fights to win over voters.
Noun
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Once a destination for avid hikers and the Biltmore-browsers, the destination has evolved to attract a variety of age groups and interest groups.
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If that isn’t enough, some of the most powerful and well-financed interest groups in politics have spent big in certain primaries.
Noun
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Some of the largest donations came from a political action committee led by House Speaker Mike Johnson.
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Kemp's political action committee has funneled millions of dollars into the Dooley campaign, according to reports.
Noun
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Increasingly, book bans are driven less by individuals than by politically motivated pressure groups targeting decision-makers.
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The two-year investigation into Gómez was launched following accusations by the pressure group Manos Limpias, or Clean Hands, which has pursued multiple legal cases, many linked to conservative causes.
Cite this Entry
“Vested interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vested%20interest. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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