special interest

noun

1. special-interest group.

2. a political or economic stake in something.

   Japan had a special interest in the South China Sea.

Other Word Forms

• special-interest adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of special interest¹

An Americanism dating back to 1785–90

Example Sentences

He had special interest in landscaping details, insisting on low-density building complexes, deciding the company should spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to plant new trees, says Mayer, now 37.

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Ms Waterfield was a pioneering figure and curator at Christie's auction house in London and took a special interest in African art, establishing a department that focused on tribal art in the 1970s.

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Ms. Hochul is largely a figurehead Governor dominated by the Legislature and special interests.

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Former Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., announced a bid to return to Congress last month after special interests ousted her last year in one of the most expensive primary elections ever.

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History offers cautionary tales of how special interests and public fear can spawn government policies that delay progress and raise the cost of the transition.

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