public interest
Americannoun
-
the welfare or well-being of the general public; commonwealth.
health programs that directly affect the public interest.
-
appeal or relevance to the general populace.
a news story of public interest.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of public interest
First recorded in 1670–80
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.
“Things are out of balance right now and I do think there have been times where the public interest is the focal point and not the interest of companies.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
It described the false announcement as a "very significant inaccuracy" on a matter of "very high public interest".
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Environment Minister Dabrusin in her decision identified possible adverse effects from the project on fish, water quality, migratory birds and indigenous communities, but concluded it was in the public interest for Crawford to be built.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
A public interest firm willing to carry the case without charge, because no sane person spends airplane money in legal fees to recover an airplane.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
When radio broadcasts of recorded music began from 1920 onwards, public interest in having one’s own record collection accelerated; what had been a trickle turned into a flood.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
