Meaning & use

interest

noun·Everyday

A feeling of wanting to know more about or become involved in something.

See it in a sentence

Her interest in astronomy grew after she saw Saturn's rings through a telescope.

The teacher tried to spark interest in history using stories instead of dates.

A note on using this word

In finance, 'interest' instead means the cost of borrowing money or the return on savings.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. noun

Money charged by a lender or paid by a bank as a percentage of a loan or deposit.

The savings account earns three percent interest on the balance every year.

3. noun

A legal share, right, or stake in property, a business, or an outcome.

He sold his interest in the company after the merger was announced.

Make it your own

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