vested interest
/ˈvɛstɪd ˈɪntrəst/
Meaning
A vested interest is a strong personal, financial, or professional reason for wanting something to succeed or happen. It often carries a slightly critical connotation, implying that a person's objectivity is compromised because they stand to gain from a specific outcome.
Examples
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As a major shareholder, she has a vested interest in the company's profitability.
As a major shareholder, she has a vested interest in the company's profitability.
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The local developers have a vested interest in getting the new zoning laws approved.
The local developers have a vested interest in getting the new zoning laws approved.
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We must ensure that the committee members do not have a vested interest in the bidding companies.
We must ensure that the committee members do not have a vested interest in the bidding companies.
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The pharmaceutical company has a vested interest in promoting this new treatment.
The pharmaceutical company has a vested interest in promoting this new treatment.
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He denied having any vested interest in the outcome of the independent audit.
He denied having any vested interest in the outcome of the independent audit.
Common Mistakes
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✗ He has a wested interest in the project.
✓ He has a vested interest in the project.
Be careful with the spelling and pronunciation of 'vested'. It starts with a 'v' sound, not a 'w' sound.
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✗ The CEO has a vested interest to the success of the merger.
✓ The CEO has a vested interest in the success of the merger.
The correct preposition to use after 'vested interest' is 'in', not 'to' or 'for'.
Related Expressions
Practice
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Because he owns shares in our competitor, he has a ___ in seeing our project fail.
💡 A personal or financial stake in an outcome.
Show answer
vested interest
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To maintain objectivity, anyone with a ___ in the outcome should recuse themselves from voting.
💡 A strong reason to want a specific result due to personal gain.
Show answer
vested interest