public interest

noun

1. the welfare or well-being of the general public; commonwealth.

   health programs that directly affect the public interest.

2. appeal or relevance to the general populace.

   a news story of public interest.

Other Word Forms

• public-interest adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of public interest¹

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

"It needs to be restructured so we have a public interest company."

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After all, a defendant has a “right to a speedy trial” and quick prosecutions are “in the public interest.”

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He argued it was not in the public interest to grant an injunction, when considering "the backdrop of multiple other local authorities seeking similar" rulings.

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If you think handouts to non-democratic countries for vaguely defined “climate” purposes will be administered scrupulously in the public interest, we’ve got a carbon-neutral barge to sell you.

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In his report, Commissioner for Standards Martin Jelley said Baroness D'Souza's actions "may harm the House by eroding public trust in parliamentarians and in institutions which exist to serve the public interest".

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Related Words

• glare 
• prominence 
• public eye 
• spotlight