# interests

/ˈɪntɝəsts/ (US) · /ˈɪntɹəsts/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/interests
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. hobbies and passions

noun · CEFR A2

the activities or subjects that you enjoy and want to spend time on.

For teachers: the plural form of interest, referring to activities, subjects, or hobbies that engage a person's attention or curiosity.

- Her interests include hiking, reading historical novels, and learning new languages.
- The university application asks students to list their extracurricular interests to gain a better understanding of their character outside of academics.

### 2. benefits or advantages

noun · CEFR B1

the things that bring an advantage or help to a person or a group.

For teachers: the advantage or benefit of a person or group; often used in the phrase 'in someone's best interests'.

- The lawyer acted in the best interests of her client during the trial.
- The board of directors must balance the competing interests of the shareholders with the long-term stability of the company.

### 3. stakeholders or groups

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

groups of people or businesses that share the same goals or concerns.

For teachers: a group of people or organisations that share a common concern or financial stake in a particular industry or cause.

- Various business interests lobbied the government to change the new tax law.
- The proposed environmental regulations were met with fierce opposition from powerful industrial interests within the region.

## Examples

- She has many interests, including photography and hiking.
- When applying for the job, he listed his personal interests to show he was a well-rounded candidate.
- The curriculum is designed to cater to a wide variety of student interests, ranging from classical literature to advanced robotics and digital media.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.