interest in WordNet English dictionary

1. be on the mind of
   "I worry about the second Germanic consonant shift"
   concern  interest  occupy  worry 
   
2. excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of
   interest 
   
3. be of importance or consequence
   "This matters to me!"
   matter to  interest 
   

1. a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)
   "sailing is her favorite pastime"; "his main pastime is gambling"; "he counts reading among his interests"; "they criticized the boy for his limited pursuits"
   pastime  interest  pursuit 
   
2. a reason for wanting something done
   "for your sake"; "died for the sake of his country"; "in the interest of safety"; "in the common interest"
   sake  interest 
   
3. the power of attracting or holding one's attention (because it is unusual or exciting etc.)
   "they said nothing of great interest"; "primary colors can add interest to a room"
   interest  interestingness 
   
4. a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
   "an interest in music"
   interest  involvement 
   
5. (usually plural) a social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims
   "the iron interests stepped up production"
   interest  interest group 
   
6. a fixed charge for borrowing money; usually a percentage of the amount borrowed
   "how much interest do you pay on your mortgage?"
   interest 
   
7. (law) a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something
   "they have interests all over the world"; "a stake in the company's future"
   interest  stake