interested

I1N1T1E1R1E1S1T1E1D2
UK/ˈɪn.t(ə.)ɹɛs.tɪd/UK/ˈɪn.t(ə.)ɹəs.tɪd/Canada, US/ˈɪn.(t)əˌɹɛs.tɪd/Canada, US/ˈɪn.tɹəs.tɪd/

adjective

Having or showing interest (attention or curiosity).

“all interested parties [≈ all stakeholders]”

Very commonScrabble 11

Meanings

adjectiveinterested (comparative more interested, superlative most interested)

comparative more interested · superlative most interested

  1. Having or showing interest (attention or curiosity).

    I'm very interested in going to see that play.

    Synonyms: engaged, engrossed, fascinated, absorbed, bewitched, captivated, enchanted, engaged · Antonyms: indifferent, uninterested, adiaphroistic, apathetic, apathistical, blasé, blithe, deaf

  2. uncommonHaving an interest (stake); being a stakeholder; motivated by considerations of self-interest; self-serving.

    all interested parties [≈ all stakeholders]

    4 more examples

    I was even mortified at those instances of his liberality, which my situation compelled me to receive, lest, being but little acquainted with my disposition, he should suspect me of being interested in my love […].

    1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC

    […] they impressed my youthful mind with a sincere aversion to the northern inhabitants of Britain, as a people blood-thirsty in time of war, treacherous during truce, interested, selfish, avaricious, and tricky in the business of peaceful life, and having few good qualities,[…].

    1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in Rob Roy. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 79

    "Oh, you are quite wrong!" cried his mother; "no love of fortune, nor of ambition, could have tempted Norbourne to desert you. Little, indeed, do you know his high and generous nature, when you suppose that he could be actuated by an interested motive."

    1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Disclosure”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 309

    He maintained -- the thought is not unnatural in a royal historiographer -- that the generous actions of great princes are often twisted and misrepresented by interested critics.

    1982, Peter Partner, The Murdered Magicians: The Templars and Their Myth, Oxford University Press, page 99

    Synonyms: egocentric, self-centered, solipsistic, egocentric, egoistical, every man for himself, idiocentric, individualistic · Antonyms: disinterested, candid, cold, clinical, detached, egal, equal, equitable

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of interest

Synonyms & antonyms

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivehaving or showing interest; especially curiosity or fascination or concern

Opposite

adjectiveinvolved in or affected by or having a claim to or share in

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Arabic مُهْتَمّ
  • مُهْتَمّ (muhtamm)having or showing interest
Bulgarian заинтересован
  • заинтересован (zainteresovan)having or showing interest
Catalan interessat
  • interessathaving or showing interest
Chinese Mandarin 持股
  • 持股 (chígǔ)owning a share
Czech zainteresovaný
  • zainteresovanýhaving or showing interest
Danish interesseret
  • interesserethaving or showing interest
Dutch geïnteresseerd, geïnteresseerde
  • geïnteresseerdhaving or showing interest
  • geïnteresseerdehaving or showing interest
  • belanghebbendowning a share
Finnish kiinnostunut
  • kiinnostunuthaving or showing interest
French intéressé
  • intéresséhaving or showing interest
German interessiert
  • interessierthaving or showing interest
Greek ενδιαφερόμενος
  • ενδιαφερόμενος (endiaferómenos)having or showing interest
Hungarian érdekel, érdekli
  • érdekelhaving or showing interest
  • érdeklihaving or showing interest
  • érdeklődőhaving or showing interest
Icelandic áhugasamur
  • áhugasamurhaving or showing interest
Indonesian tertarik
  • tertarikhaving or showing interest
Irish spéis a bheith agat i, leasmhar
  • spéis a bheith agat ihaving or showing interest
  • leasmharowning a share
Italian interessato
  • interessatohaving or showing interest
Norwegian interessert
  • interesserthaving or showing interest
Polish zainteresowany
  • zainteresowanyhaving or showing interest
Portuguese interessado
  • interessadohaving or showing interest
Romanian interesat
  • interesathaving or showing interest
Russian заинтересо́ванный
  • заинтересо́ванный (zainteresóvannyj)having or showing interest
Spanish interesado
  • interesadohaving or showing interest
Ukrainian зацікавлений
  • зацікавлений (zacikavlenyj)having or showing interest
Cite this entry
APA

interested. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/interested

MLA

“interested.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/interested. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “interested,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/interested.

Source: interested on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.