interest group
- noun
- /ˈɪntrəst ɡruːp/
- The interest group mobilized its members to advocate for stronger regulations on pollution.
- special interest groups
- public interest groups
- interest group pressure
This is a public employee union interest group disguised as a legislature.
- This is a public employee union interest group disguised as a legislature.
- But it's not that unusual that interest groups switch sides for tactical reasons.
- It's just a good old fashioned American interest group.
- These groups each employed a range of strategies that are available to disenfranchised interest groups.
- We have big alliances of disparage interest groups in both of the political parties.
- So a key factor is how easy is it to organize in terms of interest group, competition, money?
- So this idea that you have different interest groups, all of which, you know, so it's like it's meant to lock in like this.
- I took it to the Democrats and they booed me and all of the interest groups booed me as well and said that we shouldn't consummate that agreement.
- In countries with steeped vested interest groups, you actually have to take steps.
Examples
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Nearly fifty interviews were conducted with representatives of interest groups and high-level government officials involved in agricultural policy formulation.
Academic text (1999) -
The campaign was heavily financed by the Tupelo, Miss.-based American Family Association and other interest groups.
Academic text (2011) -
This is where the special interest groups start.
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But it's not that unusual that interest groups switch sides for tactical reasons.
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Well, I believe we should have politicians who represent us, and not special interest groups.
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Our political leaders are too indebted to special interest groups and party politics.
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So parties have always been, you know, a whole assemblage of interest groups and regions and industries.
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Consequently, agricultural policy was formulated and decided in the executive branch, and interest groups focused their efforts there.
Academic text (1999) -
These highly organized interest groups that are focused on one issue and that's their litmus test for you.
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According to him, the characteristics of successful special interest groups are that they are small but homogenous and well-organized.
Academic text (2017)
Synonyms
A group of people who try to persuade public officials to support a cause
A group or organization that tries to influence government decisions to help its own members
A group that tries to persuade people in power to change laws or rules for a cause
A group of people who try to influence government decisions about one issue
A group that tries to change government decisions to help a cause or its members
A group that tries to persuade government officials to support laws or policies
How Influential
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'interest' (a shared concern or stake) combined with 'group' (a set of people) yields a group formed around a common interest. The political/action nuance (seeking to influence policy) is a predictable extension of a group organized around an interest, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Interest group is a simple, literal name: a group of people with the same interest who come together to try to 'influence decisions'. So today interest group means 'an organized group that seeks to influence public policy'.