interested
Americanadjective
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having an interest in something; concerned.
Interested members will meet at noon.
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having the attention or curiosity engaged.
an interested spectator.
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characterized by a feeling of interest.
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influenced by personal or selfish motives.
an interested witness.
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participating; having an interest or share; having money involved.
adjective
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showing or having interest
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(usually prenominal) personally involved or implicated
the interested parties met to discuss the business
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of interested
First recorded in 1655–65; interest ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) or -ed 3 ( def. )
Explanation
If you're interested in something, you like it and want to know more. If you're snoring through a movie, you're probably not that interested in it. If you're interested in something, it has your attention. Some people are interested in sports; others are interested in books. If you like something and want to learn more about it, or just enjoy thinking about it, then you're interested. People can also be interested in things they have a stake in: we would say both the workers and employers are "interested parties" in a labor dispute, for example.
Vocabulary lists containing interested
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Hooked on a Feeling, List 1
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Unit 20, Lessons 3–4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But a large percentage of those being drawn in are young people interested in getting rich quick who are lured by pitches they see on social media.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
Lately, it seems that Gyllenhaal’s been more interested in low-stakes roles, the kinds that come unburdened with Oscar buzz or exhausting promotional campaigns.
From Salon • May 27, 2026
Hu is most interested in building data-driven stories that make complex systems feel human.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
She was immediately interested because the closest known octopus of that shape lives off the coast of Uruguay -- in a different ocean on the other side of South America.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
But then she said, “Are you interested in acting? You have a beautiful face. And all that hair.”
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.