special interest

noun

Synonyms of special interestnext
: a person or group seeking to influence legislative or government policy to further often narrowly defined interests
especially : lobby

Examples of special interest in a Sentence

promised that as governor he would never be beholden to special interests
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Instead, San Diego has elected leaders who spend every waking moment catering to special interests to pay for their next election. Hal Valderhaug, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026 Super PACs and other outside groups aligned with special interests pumped more than $50 million into congressional and state races during this primary. Alisa Kaplan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026 Prior to working as attorney general, Bondi conducted lobbying work on behalf of special interest groups and was previously criticized by Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) for having lobbied Congress on behalf of Qatar. Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 2 Apr. 2026 Attendees can browse arts and crafts display and connect with special interest groups, including Japanese dog and koi clubs, and take a photo with Toyokawa’s mascots. Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for special interest

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of special interest was in 1906

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Special interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special%20interest. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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