in ‧ terest ‧ ed S1 W2 /ˈɪntrəstəd, ˈɪntrɪstəd/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: adverb : ↑ interestingly , ↑ disinterestedly ; adjective : ↑ interested ≠ ↑ disinterested ≠ ↑ uninterested , ↑ interesting ≠ UNINTERESTING ; verb : ↑ interest ; noun : ↑ interest ≠ ↑ disinterest ]
1 . giving a lot of attention to something because you want to find out more about it or because you enjoy it OPP uninterested , bored
interested in
I’ve always been interested in music.
All she’s interested in is clothes.
I wasn’t sure if he was really interested or if he was just being polite.
interested to hear/know/see etc
I’d be very interested to hear your opinion.
2 . if you are interested in doing or having something, you want to do it or have it:
I’ve got a spare ticket for the opera, if you’re interested.
interested in (doing) something
Sheila’s interested in starting her own business.
Would you be interested in a second-hand car?
3 . interested party/group a person or group that is directly or personally concerned with a situation and is likely to be affected by its results OPP disinterested :
All interested parties are invited to attend the meeting.
—interestedly adverb
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THESAURUS
▪ interested [not usually before noun] giving your attention to something because you want to know more about it or you enjoy it:
Recently I've got very interested in photography.
▪ fascinated [not usually before noun] very interested by something you see, read, or hear about:
She watched, fascinated, as the bird came closer until she could almost touch it.
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The more I read about the place, the more fascinated I became.
▪ curious wanting to find out more information about something:
Small children are naturally curious.
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I was curious to find out the reasons for his sudden departure.
▪ intrigued [not before noun] interested in something because it seems strange or mysterious:
He was intrigued by her story.
▪ be into something informal used when talking about the kind of things you are interested in and enjoy doing:
Are you into classical music?
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I got into (=became interested in) yoga when I was at college.
■ so interested that you give something all your attention
▪ absorbed/engrossed in something [not before noun] very interested in something, so that you give it all your attention and do not notice anything else:
Jane was lying on the sofa engrossed in a novel.
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She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't hear me call.
▪ gripped/riveted [not before noun] very interested, especially in a story you are reading, a film you are watching etc, so that you are eager to find out what happens next:
It was a brilliant book and I was gripped from beginning to end.
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I was so riveted by the film that I forgot the time.
▪ enthralled written very interested and enjoying something very much, so that you want to see or hear more:
From the opening line of the play, the audience was completely enthralled.
▪ spellbound [not before noun] written extremely interested in something very strange or wonderful, so that you are unable to move or think of anything else:
He could hold audiences spellbound with the power of his voice.
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They all listened, spellbound.
▪ rapt formal showing by your expression that you are very interested in something and are giving all your attention to it:
He spoke before a rapt audience.
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The congregation listened with rapt attention.
▪ be all ears informal to be extremely interested in what someone is telling you:
Tell me exactly what happened. I'm all ears.
■ not interested
▪ not interested not wanting to know about something or give it your attention:
I just wasn't at all interested in science at school.
▪ uninterested not interested in wanting to know about something, especially something you are told:
When I tried to tell her about my holiday, she seemed completely uninterested.
▪ apathetic not interested in a particular problem or situation, so that you are not willing to make an effort to change and improve things:
Voters have become increasingly apathetic.
▪ indifferent having no interest in someone or something, and often not caring about them:
Sometimes the government seems indifferent to the problems of the poor.
▪ somebody couldn't care less spoken used when saying that someone does not care at all about something and is not interested in it:
I couldn't care less what other people think.