national interest

American  

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

noun

plural

national interests

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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Example Sentences

The Gulf state said its decision follows a review of its production policy, based on national interest and market needs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

"However, the time has come to focus our efforts on what our national interest dictates."

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

In an op-ed for the Guardian last week, Starmer wrote: “Britain’s national interest is best served by de-escalation, diplomacy, and the swift reopening of the strait of Hormuz.”

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

“Whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I’m going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions that I make,” Starmer told reporters.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

He had tried to communicate that the national interest did not lie in simply continuing atomic bomb work, and even suggested banning atomic weapons by international convention “just like poison gases after the last war.”

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik