interested

/ˈɪntrəstɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪntrəstɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈin-t(ə-)rə-stəd ˈin-tə-ˌre- ˈin-ˌtre-; ˈin-tər-/ (ame, mw)

interested — adjective

  • interestedpositive
  • more interestedcomparative
  • most interestedsuperlative

1. feeling or showing a desire to learn more about something, or to give it your fu

1.形容詞A2
釋義

feeling or showing a desire to learn more about something, or to give it your full attention because you find it appealing or enjoyable

例句

Imran was deeply interested in ancient Egyptian history and spent every weekend at the museum.

interested in + topic (ancient history)

The children looked genuinely interested when the science teacher showed them how a volcano erupts.

interested in + how/what/who clauses

同義詞
  • curious

    focuses on the desire to know; 'curious' is more about asking questions, while 'interested' is about giving attention

  • fascinated

    stronger than 'interested'; suggests complete capture of attention

  • engaged

    emphasises active, focused involvement rather than just curiosity

  • intrigued

    suggests being drawn in by something puzzling or mysterious

反義詞

文法句型

be interested in [noun phrase]

be interested in [gerund]

be interested to [infinitive]

用法筆記

This sense is nearly always used predicatively (after a linking verb like 'be', 'seem', 'look', 'become'), not before a noun. You say 'The child is interested', but you cannot say 'an interested child' to mean a curious child — the attributive use belongs to sense 2.

常見錯誤

❌I am very interesting in learning Japanese.
✅I am very interested in learning Japanese.
💡'Interesting' describes the thing that causes curiosity; 'interested' describes the person who feels it.
❌She is interested about fashion.
✅She is interested in fashion.
💡The correct preposition after 'interested' (in this sense) is 'in', not 'about'.

2. having a direct personal, financial, or organisational connection to a situation

2.形容詞B2
釋義

having a direct personal, financial, or organisational connection to a situation, such that you may benefit, suffer losses, or be impacted by whatever happens

例句

The city council invited all interested parties to attend the public hearing on the new zoning plan.

interested parties (formal/legal context)

Any interested organisation may apply for government funding to support local community programmes.

interested + noun (organisation/group)

同義詞
  • involved

    broader; can mean simply taking part, not necessarily with a stake in the outcome

  • concerned

    slightly more negative; often implies worry about the situation

  • affected

    neutral; simply indicates being impacted, without implying active interest

  • stakeholder

    noun form; more specific to business or organisational contexts

反義詞
  • uninvolved

    not taking part

  • unaffected

    not impacted by the situation

  • disinterested

    WARNING: 'disinterested' does NOT mean 'not interested' — it means 'impartial, unbiased'. Do not confuse with 'uninterested'.

文法句型

interested + [noun]

the interested + [plural noun]

用法筆記

Unlike sense 1, this sense is used attributively (before a noun) and does not take the preposition 'in'. Common in legal documents, business announcements, and formal notices. The phrase 'interested parties' is a fixed expression in legal English.

常見錯誤

❌All interested in parties should attend the meeting.
✅All interested parties should attend the meeting.
💡In this sense, 'interested' goes directly before the noun, without 'in'.
❌He is interested to the outcome of the trial.
✅He is an interested party in the outcome of the trial.
💡This sense does not use 'interested to' or 'interested in'; it needs a noun after 'interested'.