vested
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vested
Explanation
If you have a vested interest in something, you have a personal stake in its success. You have a vested interest in your science project — if your invention works, you could be rich and famous. Vested can also refer to something assigned to you. When a minister says "by the power vested in me by the State of Ohio, I now pronounce you husband and wife," he's referring to the legal authority he’s been given to marry people. Vested can also be a financial term. If you’re vested in your company's pension plan after working there 5 years, then even if you quit at 5 years, that pension money is yours to take with you.
Vocabulary lists containing vested
Vocabulary from the Constitution of the United States
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Marbury v. Madison (1803)
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Eyes Wide Open
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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.
She said people in these situations were "powerless against the vested interests that only take, while giving nothing back in return".
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
The proposal -- echoing the restaurant shorthand "86" for an item that is off the menu -- pits zealous reformers against vested interests, with an electorate knowing little about the issue.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
In July, the Lone Pine Canyon Protection Alliance and three longtime residents, including Falb’s mother, Michele, filed a petition in court calling for the county to reconsider the decision granting the vested mining rights.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
In other words, she may have a vested interest in her brother not selling this property or making other decisions that could affect the value of her potential inheritance.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
Spassky was seated in the first row, elegantly attired in a gray-checked vested suit.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
