interested

[ in-ter-uh-stid, -truh-stid, -tuh-res-tid ]

/ ˈɪn tər ə stɪd, -trə stɪd, -təˌrɛs tɪd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR interested ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

having an interest in something; concerned: Interested members will meet at noon.

having the attention or curiosity engaged: an interested spectator.

characterized by a feeling of interest.

influenced by personal or selfish motives: an interested witness.

participating; having an interest or share; having money involved.

Nearby words

Origin of interested

1655–65; interest + -ed³ or -ed²

Related forms

in·ter·est·ed·ly, adverbin·ter·est·ed·ness, nouno·ver·in·ter·est·ed, adjectiveo·ver·in·ter·est·ed·ly, adverb

o·ver·in·ter·est·ed·ness, nounqua·si-in·ter·est·ed, adjectivequa·si-in·ter·est·ed·ly, adverbwell-in·ter·est·ed, adjective

interest

[ in-ter-ist, -trist ]

/ ˈɪn tər ɪst, -trɪst /

noun

the feeling of a person whose attention, concern, or curiosity is particularly engaged by something: She has a great interest in the poetry of Donne.

something that concerns, involves, draws the attention of, or arouses the curiosity of a person: His interests are philosophy and chess.

power of exciting such concern, involvement, etc.; quality of being interesting: political issues of great interest.

concern; importance: a matter of primary interest.

a business, cause, or the like in which a person has a share, concern, responsibility, etc.

a share, right, or title in the ownership of property, in a commercial or financial undertaking, or the like: He bought half an interest in the store.

a participation in or concern for a cause, advantage, responsibility, etc.

a number or group of persons, or a party, financially interested in the same business, industry, or enterprise: the banking interest.

interests, the group of persons or organizations having extensive financial or business power.

the state of being affected by something in respect to advantage or detriment: We need an arbiter who is without interest in the outcome.

benefit; advantage: to have one's own interest in mind.

regard for one's own advantage or profit; self-interest: The partnership dissolved because of their conflicting interests.

influence from personal importance or capability; power of influencing the action of others.

Finance.

a sum paid or charged for the use of money or for borrowing money.
such a sum expressed as a percentage of money borrowed to be paid over a given period, usually one year.

something added or thrown in above an exact equivalent: Jones paid him back with a left hook and added a right uppercut for interest.

verb (used with object)

to engage or excite the attention or curiosity of: Mystery stories interested him greatly.

to concern (a person, nation, etc.) in something; involve: The fight for peace interests all nations.

to cause to take a personal concern or share; induce to participate: to interest a person in an enterprise.

to cause to be concerned; affect.

Origin of interest

1225–75; (noun) Middle English < Medieval Latin, Latin: it concerns, literally, it is between; replacing interesse < Medieval Latin, Latin: to concern, literally, to be between; (v.) earlier interess as v. use of the noun; see inter-, esse

Related formso·ver·in·ter·est, nounpre·in·ter·est, noun, verbre·in·ter·est, noun, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for interested

“I heard Jeffrey was interested in supporting science and I contacted him,” Krauss said.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Monir is not interested in classic dances like tango or ballet.
Iran’s Becoming a Footloose Nation as Dance Lessons Spread|IranWire|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“Although major presses covered below news since last night, not many people is interested in their threat,” wrote Hwang.
Exclusive: Sony Emails Say Studio Exec Picked Kim Jong-Un as the Villain of ‘The Interview’|William Boot|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
None of us were interested in making a film about a speech, a statue, or all that good stuff; it was about getting underneath it.
Ava DuVernay on ‘Selma,’ the Racist Sony Emails, and Making Golden Globes History|Marlow Stern|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

She was so great and it made everything click for me, because I was also interested in journalism.
Meghan Daum On Tackling The Unspeakable Parts Of Life|David Yaffe|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My mind is interested all the day; I no longer feel listlessness; the time never hangs heavy upon my hands.
The Last Penny and Other Stories|T. S. Arthur
People will be interested because it shows the operators are coming in our direction.
Dust|Mr. and Mrs. Haldeman-Julius
It appeared to me at the time that she was not interested in having the new curtains.
Warren Commission (10 of 26): Hearings Vol. X (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
The boys had become so interested in bringing down the wolf that they had paid no attention to what was taking place overhead.
The Rover Boys at Big Horn Ranch|Edward Stratemeyer
She had long since ceased to be interested in Billy Burgeman as an individual.
Seven Miles to Arden|Ruth Sawyer

British Dictionary definitions for interested

interested

/ (ˈɪntrɪstɪd, -tərɪs-) /

adjective

showing or having interest

(usually prenominal) personally involved or implicatedthe interested parties met to discuss the business

Derived Formsinterestedly, adverbinterestedness, noun

interest

/ (ˈɪntrɪst, -tərɪst) /

noun

the sense of curiosity about or concern with something or someonean interest in butterflies

the power of stimulating such a senseto have great interest

the quality of such stimulation

something in which one is interested; a hobby or pursuit

(often plural) benefit; advantagein one's own interest

(often plural)

a right, share, or claim, esp in a business or property
the business, property, etc, in which a person has such concern

a charge for the use of credit or borrowed money
such a charge expressed as a percentage per time unit of the sum borrowed or used

(often plural) a section of a community, etc, whose members have common aimswe must not offend the landed interest

declare an interest to make known one's connection, esp a prejudicial connection, with an affair

verb (tr)

to arouse or excite the curiosity or concern of

to cause to become involved in something; concern

Word Origin for interest

C15: from Latin: it concerns, from interesse; from inter- + esse to be

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

Word Origin and History for interested

interested

adj.

"motivated by self-interest," 1705; "having an interest or stake (in something);" from past participle of interest (v.).

interest

"to cause to be interested," c.1600, earlier interesse (1560s), from the noun (see interest (n.)). Perhaps also from or influenced by interess'd, past participle of interesse.

interest

mid-15c., "legal claim or right; concern; benefit, advantage;" earlier interesse (late 14c.), from Anglo-French interesse "what one has a legal concern in," from Medieval Latin interesse "compensation for loss," noun use of Latin interresse "to concern, make a difference, be of importance," literally "to be between," from inter- "between" (see inter-) + esse "to be" (see essence).

Cf. German Interesse, from the same Medieval Latin source. Form in English influenced 15c. by French interest "damage," from Latin interest "it is of importance, it makes a difference," third person singular present of interresse. Financial sense of "money paid for the use of money lent" (1520s) earlier was distinguished from usury (illegal under Church law) by being in reference to "compensation due from a defaulting debtor." Meaning "curiosity" is first attested 1771. Interest group is attested from 1907; interest rate by 1868.

Culture definitions for interested

interest

The charge for borrowing money or the return for lending it.

Idioms and Phrases with interested

interest

see in one's interest; take an interest; vested interest; with interest.

interested

adjective

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Origin of interested

interest

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of interest

Examples from the Web for interested

interested

adjective

interest

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for interest

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