interest

/ˈɪntrəst/
noun
  1. A feeling of wanting to learn more about something or to be involved in something.
    • The children showed great interest in the science experiment.
    • She has a strong interest in ancient history.
    • His interest in photography began when he was a teenager.
  2. Money paid regularly for the use of borrowed money, or money earned from a bank account or investment.
    • She earned $50 in interest from her investment last year.
    • The bank offers a 3% interest rate on savings accounts.
    • He paid high interest on his credit card debt.
  3. A legal right or share in something, such as a business or property.
    • He sold his interest in the company to a partner.
    • She has a financial interest in the family farm.
    • The government has an interest in protecting public lands.
  4. A group of people who share a common concern or goal, often in business or politics.
    • The education interest pushed for more school funding.
    • Farming interests are worried about the drought.
    • The oil interest lobbied against the new environmental law.
verb
  1. To make someone want to learn more about something or to become involved in something.
    • The documentary interested me in marine biology.
    • Can I interest you in a cup of coffee?
    • The teacher tried to interest the students in reading classic novels.
Antonyms