as in interests
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 interests
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
Candidates sniped at each other — though rarely by name — for being too rich, too beholden to special interests or for voting in the past in support of ICE and border wall funding.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Donalds’s primary opponents have argued that the large amount of money special interests are spending to support his campaign could lead to his being subject to their influence, if he’s elected.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 22 Feb. 2026
The third mayoral candidate, Mike Liebelson, is largely self-funded, and attacks both rivals for accepting money from developers and other special interests.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
While innovators think of new ways to improve lives with AI, politicians are looking for ways to entrench special interests at everyone else’s expense.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2026
The moment burnished the image Clinton was trying to build as someone who was willing to stand up to the party’s special interests and most loyal voting base.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2026
Success means a Texas where there are real opportunities for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected, and where government works for the people, not for special interests.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The spending bonanza is a good window into how pricey campaigns, unlimited PAC donations and special interests can come to dominate races behind the scenes.
—Bayliss Wagner, Houston Chronicle, 12 Feb. 2026
Alisa Kaplan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Candidates sniped at each other — though rarely by name — for being too rich, too beholden to special interests or for voting in the past in support of ICE and border wall funding.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Donalds’s primary opponents have argued that the large amount of money special interests are spending to support his campaign could lead to his being subject to their influence, if he’s elected.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 22 Feb. 2026
The third mayoral candidate, Mike Liebelson, is largely self-funded, and attacks both rivals for accepting money from developers and other special interests.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026
While innovators think of new ways to improve lives with AI, politicians are looking for ways to entrench special interests at everyone else’s expense.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2026
The moment burnished the image Clinton was trying to build as someone who was willing to stand up to the party’s special interests and most loyal voting base.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2026
Success means a Texas where there are real opportunities for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected, and where government works for the people, not for special interests.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The spending bonanza is a good window into how pricey campaigns, unlimited PAC donations and special interests can come to dominate races behind the scenes.
—Bayliss Wagner, Houston Chronicle, 12 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for special interests
Noun
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Hancock, instead, said Kansas Citians could ultimately benefit from having three representatives advocating for their interests in Congress.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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Vance appears poised to stand at the crossroads of those varying interests.—
Gabe Kaminsky,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Critics of the legislation have called the unelected board undemocratic, fearing that whichever interest groups could influence the mayor could drive the future of Indianapolis public education.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
27 Mar. 2026
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Hollywood players, Wall Streeters, public interest groups guilds and lawmakers will know, definitively, where to direct their fire.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The leader of the Ex-Slave Pension Association was later imprisoned on mail fraud charges, and the organization faded away, while the Eagles became one of the pressure groups that eventually led to Social Security.—
Trevor Jackson,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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Cosseted by favorable districts and incumbent fundraising advantages, the majority caters mostly to pressure groups — especially socially conservative ones — that influence Republican primaries.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Special interests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/special%20interests. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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