special interest
Americannoun
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a political or economic stake in something.
Japan had a special interest in the South China Sea.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of special interest
An Americanism dating back to 1785–90
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.
Snoring is caused by the vibration of the soft tissues in our upper airways during sleep, explains Dr Clare Simon, a dentist with a special interest in dental sleep medicine.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
Alas, no good deed goes unprotested by a domestic special interest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
“That sort of thing to get away from special interest groups having an ax to grind then and then, abusing the corporate governance process for their ends,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026
It may all also be of special interest to the millions more who are over 50, or 55, and who are thinking of retiring — or hoping to — in the reasonably near future.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 5, 2026
Ishmael’s father—owner, publisher, editor, chief reporter, photographer, and printer of the San Piedro Review—had a special interest in these proceedings.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
