interest
A1 (noun), B1 (verb)Neutral formal/informal
Definition
Meaning
a feeling of wanting to know, learn about, or give attention to something; money paid regularly for the use of money lent
A state of curiosity or concern about something; an activity or subject one enjoys; a stake, share, or involvement in an undertaking; the financial benefit from lending money or delaying payment
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The two main senses (curiosity/attention vs. financial) are etymologically related (from Latin 'interest' = 'it concerns, it makes a difference'). The verb primarily relates to the attention/curiosity sense.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The noun 'interest' in the financial sense is identical. Collocation 'interest group' is more common in AmE politics; 'special interest group' carries a stronger, often negative connotation in AmE.
Connotations
In BrE, 'to have an interest in a company' more straightforwardly implies a financial stake. In both, 'conflict of interest' is a key legal/ethical term.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[have/take/lose] + an interest + in + NP[verb of giving] + interest + to + NP[verb of charging] + interest + on + NPNP + interest + [NP]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “In the interest(s) of safety”
- “It is in your interest to...”
- “With interest (e.g., repaid with interest)”
- “Of no interest”
- “Interest peaked/waned”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The bank will charge 5% interest on the loan.
Academic
Her research interests lie in cognitive linguistics.
Everyday
I have no interest in watching that film.
Technical
The magnetic field induces an electrical current by electromagnetic interest.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The documentary really interested me in marine biology.
- Could you interest him in joining our committee?
- He's always been interested in railways.
American English
- The agent tried to interest us in a time-share.
- Does anything interest you on the menu?
- I'm not interested in gossip.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form derived directly from 'interest'. Use 'interestingly'.)
American English
- (No standard adverb form derived directly from 'interest'. Use 'interestingly'.)
adjective
British English
- The most interest aspect of the talk was the Q&A.
- (Note: 'interest' as a true adjective is rare and often archaic/financial: 'interest payment'). The adjectival forms are 'interested' and 'interesting'.
American English
- (As above) The primary adjectival forms are 'interested' and 'interesting'. 'Interest' itself is not a standard adjective in modern usage.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children have a lot of interest in animals.
- My bank account gets a little interest every year.
- I am interested in football.
- He lost all interest in the project after the first meeting.
- The loan has a very high interest rate.
- She tried to interest her friend in the new art class.
- His comments were met with great interest by the scientific community.
- She declared her financial interests to avoid any conflict of interest.
- The film's plot failed to sustain my interest until the end.
- The conglomerate has a controlling interest in several media outlets.
- Policymakers must balance the interests of consumers with those of producers.
- Her impassioned plea piqued the jury's interest in the lesser-known evidence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
INTERest is what happens INTERnally when something grabs your attention or INTERvenes in your finances.
Conceptual Metaphor
ATTENTION/IMPORTANCE IS A FINANCIAL RESOURCE (e.g., 'invest your interest wisely', 'pay attention', 'capitalize on his interest').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse 'interest' (внимание, доля) with 'interesting' (интересный). The Russian 'проценты' only covers the financial sense.
- Avoid direct translation of 'у меня есть интерес' for 'I am interested in...' – use 'I am interested in...' or 'I have an interest in...' (the latter implies stronger/more specific involvement).
- The phrase 'it is interesting to note that...' is a common academic filler; translating it literally can sound unnatural in Russian.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'interests' as a singular countable noun (*'an interests' is wrong).
- Confusing 'interested' (adjective) with 'interesting' (adjective). 'I am interesting' means you are a fascinating person!
- Using 'on' vs. 'in' after the verb: 'He interested me *on' the topic' (incorrect) vs. 'He interested me in the topic' (correct).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'interest' in a financial sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The standard preposition is 'in' (e.g., 'an interest in music'). 'For' is used in specific constructions like 'an interest for payment' but is not standard for the curiosity sense.
'Interested' describes someone who feels interest ('I am interested'). 'Interesting' describes something that causes interest ('This book is interesting').
Yes. 'Interests' can mean 'things one is interested in' ('My interests include hiking and reading') or 'financial stakes/shares' ('She has business interests overseas').
It's interest calculated on the initial principal and also on the accumulated interest from previous periods, leading to exponential growth.
Collections
Part of a collection
Economics Terms
B2 · 50 words · Key vocabulary for economics and financial systems.