From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishvested interestvested interesta strong reason for wanting something to happen because you will gain from itSince he owns the strip of land, Cook has a vested interest in the project being approved. →vestedExamples from the Corpushas ... vested interest• Exciting, unfamiliar and livelymeansfreshcopy for the press, which has a vested interest in chaos.• Well, he obviously has a vested interest in having some one else to blame.• The agent also has a vested interest in keeping the event's costs at a minimum.• Practically everybody involved has a vested interest in making the child drop her claim.