special interest

noun

: a person or group seeking to influence legislative or government policy to further often narrowly defined interests
especially : lobby

Examples of special interest in a Sentence

promised that as governor he would never be beholden to special interests
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
State supreme courts have increasingly become a target of special interest groups in recent years, attracting record-breaking spending that reflects the courts' power as the final say in high-profile cases, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which tracks spending in judicial races. Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 18 Oct. 2024 Foreign governments and the private sector, meanwhile, lobby Congress to protect policies that favor them, inhibiting changes that may serve the broad public interest but challenge special interests. Christopher S. Chivvis, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2024 Outside special interests, fostering rampant redevelopment, threaten the character of our caring community. Destiny Torres, Orange County Register, 4 Oct. 2024 Our organization proved that the special interest groups attempting to hijack Arizona’s elections systems lacked the minimum number to qualify for the ballot to even be considered by voters in November. Jack Birle, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for special interest 

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of special interest was in 1906

Dictionary Entries Near special interest

Cite this Entry

“Special interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special%20interest. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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