national interest

American  

[nash-uh-nuhl in-trist] / ˈnæʃ ə nəl ˈɪn trɪst /

noun

• national interests
  plural

1. the interest, concern, or benefit of the whole nation as opposed to that of any particular group, party, etc., within the nation, especially with reference to international affairs or global economy.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• national interests
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

national interest

Carney designated the pipeline a project of national interest, which he forecast would create 140,000 jobs and generate over C$20 billion in GDP a year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

"Of course I'm glad that we're getting more national interest in wildfires," she said.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who could possibly overturn the commission’s decision on the grounds of national interest or national security.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

In the wide-ranging interview, the prime minister also spoke about how he would be prepared to call out Donald Trump to defend Britain's national interest.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

The clearest statement Washington ever made on America's national interest came in his Circular Letter of 1783, the last of his annual letters to the state governments as commander in chief.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis