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
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Heder remains interested in stories about outsiders, about class and people generally ignored by or on the fringes of society.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Or perhaps they’re interested in a blood test that claims to screen for many different cancers.
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
Most people know it for boosting alertness, but scientists have also been interested in its possible connection to a lower risk of some age-related diseases.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
The company allegedly paid a university professor to pose as a researcher interested in a company’s memory devices, when the real purpose was to obtain a chip so Huawei could copy it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Maybe they were not as interested in current events as I had presumed.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
