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Synonyms

vested

American  
[ves-tid] / ˈvɛs tɪd /

adjective

  1. held completely, permanently, and inalienably.

    vested rights.

  2. protected or established by law, commitment, tradition, ownership, etc..

    vested contributions to a fund.

  3. clothed or robed, especially in ecclesiastical vestments.

    a vested priest.

  4. having a vest; sold with a vest.

    a vested suit.


vested British  
/ ˈvɛstɪd /

adjective

  1. property law having a present right to the immediate or future possession and enjoyment of property Compare contingent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of vested

First recorded in 1665–75; vest + -ed 2

Explanation

If you have a vested interest in something, you have a personal stake in its success. You have a vested interest in your science project — if your invention works, you could be rich and famous. Vested can also refer to something assigned to you. When a minister says "by the power vested in me by the State of Ohio, I now pronounce you husband and wife," he's referring to the legal authority he’s been given to marry people. Vested can also be a financial term. If you’re vested in your company's pension plan after working there 5 years, then even if you quit at 5 years, that pension money is yours to take with you.

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Vocabulary lists containing vested

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.

"This is very strange in a growth year, and I think it says that businesses are hoarding workers," said Milton Ezrati, chief economist at Vested in New York.

From Reuters • May 5, 2023

McCartney is a former Washington Post staff writer and the co-author with James McCartney of “America’s War Machine: Vested Interests, Endless Conflicts.”

From Washington Post • Feb. 18, 2016

The vest was presented by Vested Interest in K9s, an East Taunton nonprofit organization that has outfitted more than 1,400 law enforcement dogs in 49 states.

From Washington Times • May 22, 2015

Vested veterans who were released this weekend are free agents who can sign with anybody.

From US News • Aug. 30, 2014

Powers Vested Exclusively in the Confederation.—Within the text of the constitution the division of powers between the federal and the cantonal governments is minute, though far from systematic.

From The Governments of Europe by Ogg, Frederic Austin