public interest
Americannoun
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the welfare or well-being of the general public; commonwealth.
health programs that directly affect the public interest.
-
appeal or relevance to the general populace.
a news story of public interest.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of public interest
First recorded in 1670–80
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.
The federal district court issued a preliminary injunction partly on this basis, noting the burdens on election administrators were high and the public interest costs dire.
From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2026
“With all the facts, the data, the overwhelming public interest case for our transaction so plain, still we took vicious, often personal abuse,” he recalls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
The Washington Post forcefully defended its own reporters after the Pentagon accused them of wrongdoing for publishing information in the public interest.
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2026
Moreno, 80, has shown no public interest in a third negotiation with the city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Then he concluded, “But I flatter myself that some respect will be paid to the public interest, and to the plighted faith of the government.”
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
