interest group

noun

1. a group of people drawn or acting together in support of a common interest or to voice a common concern:

   Political interest groups seek to influence legislation.

interest group

1. An organized group that tries to influence the government to adopt certain policies or measures. Also called pressure group . ( See lobby .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of interest group¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

The governor has been under pressure from virtually every constituency and interest group in the Democratic Party to pick a senator who represents them.

From FiveThirtyEight

The platform revealed that rock music fans and guitar-related interest groups showed a strong affinity for these types of games so the brand ran its ads against the publisher’s music titles.

From Digiday

Not unethically or anything, the politics just arranged themselves in private conversations among City Hall’s leaders, their staffs and the orbit of lobbyists, interest groups and activists around them.

From Voice of San Diego

In search of plates with plantsMenus have become ever-briefer in the pandemic, resulting in fewer choices, especially for special interest groups.

From Washington Post

She pushed the race for Council president, which typically occurs among interest groups in private, into public instead, with progressive activists pushing lobbying on her behalf.

From Voice of San Diego

Campaigns like opechatesgays.com assume that LGBT people are an interest group with only one interest: their own.

From The Daily Beast

Another potential Obama nominee in Pennsylvania was never put forward because of interest group opposition.

From The Daily Beast

A powerful interest group is suddenly in retreat, and alienating its strongest supporters.

From The Daily Beast

“In America gay rights are seen as a minority issue for a single interest group,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

In the U.S., by contrast, there are thousands of people with the power to advance an interest group's agenda.

From The Daily Beast

It also made each interest group a peace group inside, because only by being a peace group could it conserve all its force.

From Project Gutenberg

Our concern must be for a special interest group that has been too long neglected.

From Project Gutenberg

"We need literacy for democracy to survive," says the literacy special interest group.

From Project Gutenberg

Its aim is not merely to display old-fashioned implements or provide for the enjoyment of a special interest group.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• lobby
• political action committee
• pressure group