interested
Americanadjective
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having an interest in something; concerned.
Interested members will meet at noon.
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having the attention or curiosity engaged.
an interested spectator.
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characterized by a feeling of interest.
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influenced by personal or selfish motives.
an interested witness.
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participating; having an interest or share; having money involved.
adjective
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showing or having interest
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(usually prenominal) personally involved or implicated
the interested parties met to discuss the business
Other Word Forms
- interestedly adverb
- interestedness noun
- overinterested adjective
- overinterestedly adverb
- overinterestedness noun
- quasi-interested adjective
- quasi-interestedly adverb
- well-interested adjective
Etymology
Origin of interested
First recorded in 1655–65; interest ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) or -ed 3 ( def. )
Explanation
If you're interested in something, you like it and want to know more. If you're snoring through a movie, you're probably not that interested in it. If you're interested in something, it has your attention. Some people are interested in sports; others are interested in books. If you like something and want to learn more about it, or just enjoy thinking about it, then you're interested. People can also be interested in things they have a stake in: we would say both the workers and employers are "interested parties" in a labor dispute, for example.
Vocabulary lists containing interested
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Hooked on a Feeling, List 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Unit 20, Lessons 3–4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Thanks to “Cosmic Music,” anyone interested in her life and work doesn’t have to go comb through microfilm or ancient magazines to learn more about this unbelievably accomplished and completely fascinating human being.
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
People have wondered if he had stayed on, whether he could have stopped the relationship between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal from going south, and I would have been interested to know what he thought.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
It is doubtful that Liam Gallagher will turn up at the ceremony in Los Angeles this November, having previously declared that he wasn't interested in receiving an award from "some geriatric in a cowboy hat".
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
While the "level of uncertainty is higher" due to the war, Chief Executive David Solomon told analysts that clients remain interested in large deals.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
Honestly, I wasn’t all that interested in the Spirit of the Sea when Eddie pitched the project idea to me, but knowing that lots of other people are fascinated changes things a little bit.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
