interestnoun
uk/ˈɪn.trəst/us/ˈɪn.trɪst/interest noun (INVOLVEMENT)
B1 [ S or U ] the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or of wanting to be involved with and to discover more about something:
B1 [ C ] Your interests are the activities that you enjoy doing and the subjects that you like to spend time learning about:
B1 [ U ] the quality that makes you think that something is interesting:
More examples
- He has demonstrated a genuine interest in the project.
- He wanted science students to take an interest in the arts, and so he ran literature classes at his home on Sunday afternoons.
- They take a lively interest in their grandchildren.
- I lost interest halfway through the book and I never finished it.
- I can honestly say that I have no interest whatsoever in the royal family.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Excitement, interest, energy and enthusiasm
- a new lease of life idiom
- alacrity
- animation
- ardour
- avid
- flap
- frisky
- frisson
- get-up-and-go
- glamour
- gusto
- meaty
- shiver (up and) down your spine idiom
- sparkle
- spice
- spirit
- sprightly
- stimulation
- zap
- zest
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
interest noun (ADVANTAGE)
C1 [ C usually plural, U ] something that brings advantages to or affects someone or something:
More examples
- As both a teacher and parent, she had an interest in seeing the school remain open.
- Is it really in the public interest to publish this information?
- The government's view is that raising taxes now would not be in the national interest .
- The government will only say it is not in the general interest to reveal any more information.
- She claimed that she had no financial interest in the case.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Helping and co-operating
- a good/bad turn idiom
- abet
- aid
- assist
- assistance
- avail
- bridge
- carry
- facilitate
- give sb a leg up idiom
- give/lend sb a helping hand idiom
- go a long way toward(s) doing sth idiom
- hang
- platform
- reach
- relief
- run errands idiom
- see sb through sth
- share a platform idiom
- start sb off
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interest noun (MONEY)
C1 [ U ] money that is charged by a bank or other financial organization for borrowing money:
C1 [ U ] money that you earn from keeping your money in an account in a bank or other financial organization:
More examples
- My investments return a high rate of interest.
- The rise in interest rates has pushed up the value of my investments.
- How much interest are you paying on the loan?
- The smaller local lenders charge a high rate of interest.
- An immediate interest cut might give a small boost to the economy.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Interest & capital
- APR
- bank rate
- base rate
- capital intensive
- capitalization
- collateral
- fund
- interest rate
- interest-bearing
- lending rate
- money
- nest egg
- Premium Bond
- saving
- simple interest
- stock
- the purse strings idiom
- the smart money
- venture capital
- vested interest
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interest noun (LEGAL RIGHT)
specialized law, business [ C ] an involvement or a legal right, usually relating to a business or possessions:
More examples
- The courts will have to decide the size of the beneficiary's interest in the trust.
- The deed transfers the interest to Mr Smith.
- Are there any third-party interests over the land?
- She is entitled to enforce her interest in the courts.
- Her interest in the trust has not yet been vested.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Having and owning - general words
- -owned
- attach to sb/sth
- be endowed with sth idiom
- bear
- bearer
- belong
- belong to sb
- call
- carry
- claim
- endow
- hold
- mistress
- not/never want for anything idiom
- owner
- ownership
- proprietress
- revert to sb
- stake somewhere/sth out
- want
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interestverb [ T ]
uk/ˈɪn.trəst/us/ˈɪn.trɪst/B1 If someone or something interests you, you want to give that person or thing your attention and discover more about him, her, or it:
More examples
- Politics doesn't interest him much.
- I've got some news that might interest you.
- The subject that interests her most seems to be her own health!
- The idea of travelling to China had always interested him, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity.
- Anything to do with planes and flying interests him enormously.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making people excited and interested
- absorbed
- animate
- be sb's bag idiom
- breathe (new) life into sth idiom
- captivate
- capture
- engage
- enthuse
- entrance 1
- intoxicate
- intrigue
- occupy
- pulse
- pump
- pump sb up
- reinvigorate
- swing
- whip sb into sth
- whip sth up
- wow factor
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