interest
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.the feeling of wanting to give your attention to something or learn more about it.
n.the quality of exciting curiosity or holding the attention; a state of psychological engagement with a subject.
Simple“The students showed a lot of interest in the science experiment.”
In context“Her lifelong interest in marine biology eventually led her to pursue a doctorate in deep-sea ecosystems.”
PitfallI have a big interest for history. I have a great interest in history.Use the preposition 'in' after 'interest', and prefer 'great' or 'keen' over 'big'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
n.an activity or subject that you enjoy and spend your free time on.
n.a subject, activity, or hobby that a person finds engaging or enjoyable.
Simple“Outside of work, his main interests are photography and hiking.”
In context“The club provides a space for people with diverse interests to gather and share their expertise on local history.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.the extra money you must pay back when you borrow money, or money you earn on your savings.
n.the charge for the privilege of borrowing money, typically expressed as an annual percentage rate.
Simple“The bank raised the interest rate on credit cards this month.”
In context“Low interest rates encouraged many first-time buyers to enter the housing market despite rising property prices.”
UsageUsually uncountable when referring to the concept or the rate.
Synonymsfinance chargedividend - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a legal or financial share in a business or property.
n.a financial stake, legal share, or right in a commercial undertaking or property.
Simple“The company has a controlling interest in several smaller tech firms.”
In context“He was forced to sell his minority interest in the family business following a dispute over the new expansion strategy.”
Synonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something that is good for a person or a group.
n.the advantage or benefit of a person or group; often used in the plural to describe collective goals.
Simple“The government claims the new law is in the public interest.”
In context“The mediator worked to find a solution that protected the interests of both the employees and the shareholders.”
- 06 A2 Elementary
v.to make someone want to know more about something.
v.to excite the curiosity or attention of someone; to engage a person's mind.
Simple“Does this type of music interest you at all?”
In context“The documentary failed to interest the younger viewers, who found the pacing too slow and the subject matter too abstract.”
PitfallThis book interests to me. This book interests me.The verb 'interest' is transitive and takes a direct object without the preposition 'to'.
Usage interest in the technological · attract interest · considerable interest
From Middle English interest, from Old French interesse and interest (French intérêt), from Medieval Latin interesse, from Latin interesse.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.