vested interest

American  

noun

1. a special interest in an existing system, arrangement, or institution for particular personal reasons.

2. a permanent right given to an employee under a pension plan.

3. vested interests, the persons, groups, etc., who benefit the most from existing business or financial systems.

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vested interest British  

noun

1. property law an existing and disposable right to the immediate or future possession and enjoyment of property

2. a strong personal concern in a state of affairs, system, etc, usually resulting in private gain

3. a person or group that has such an interest

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vested interest Cultural  

1. A phrase that indicates a deep personal (and possibly financial) interest in some political or economic proposal: “As a major stockholder of the Ford Motor Company, Senator Bilge had a vested interest in legislation restricting the import of Japanese autos.” The plural, vested interests, often refers to powerful, wealthy property holders: “His radical policies enraged vested interests.”

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vested interest Idioms  

1. A personal stake in something, as in She has a vested interest in keeping the house in her name. This term, first recorded in 1818, uses vested in the sense of “established” or “secured.”

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Usage

What does vested interest mean? A vested interest is a special interest in something due to a personal reason, especially the potential to benefit from the situationIf you didn’t study for a test and you ask your teacher to change the test date, you have a vested interest in their answer. A vested interest is a personal stake, often tied to money or power, as in I have a vested interest in you winning this match—I bet a lot of money on you!A company or organization can also have a vested interest, as in Tobacco companies have a vested interest in the prevention of any laws that would reduce smoking. The plural vested interests is used to refer to those people or organizations that will benefit from a system, arrangement, or situation. Example: As the owner of the company, Michelle had a vested interest in seeing it succeed.

Etymology

Origin of vested interest

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

And China has its own vested interest in a free and open waterway, where nearly 50% of the country’s crude oil imports pass through each day.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

It is working well enough for the big professional leagues, which collect sportsbook sponsorships and, probably more importantly, sometimes get a ratings bounce from people who are watching their games with a vested interest.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

First, the fact that she felt a vested interest in how much money he gives to his kids crosses a boundary that would make most people uncomfortable.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

“If you are a major agricultural producer, then you have a vested interest, as does your insurer, to make sure that you don’t have catastrophic floods,” she says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

But we too embrace faulty causes, usually at the urging of an expert proclaiming a truth in which he has a vested interest.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt