interest for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'interest for' is not correct in written English.
We would typically use the phrase 'interest in' when referring to someone being interested in something. For example: "He has a strong interest in astronomy."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Other developers lost interest for different reasons.

The New Yorker

Bob Dylan held little interest for him.

The Guardian - Books

That held no interest for me.

The Guardian - Film

High society held no interest for them.

The New Yorker

"It really sparked an interest for me".

The New York Times - Sports

Astronomy was a childhood interest for Shostak.

The Guardian

"There's interest for N.B.A. summer league teams".

The New York Times - Sports

Both are already attracting interest for photographs.

The Guardian - Arts

Politics, however, held little interest for her.

The Guardian - Books

Areas of interest for Richmond, Virginia.

University of California, Berkeley

Justification of interest — for and against.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's enthusiasm, consider stronger alternatives like "passion", "fascination", or "zeal" to add more impact.

Common error

Avoid using "for" to express interest. The correct preposition is "in". For example, say "I have an interest in history" not "I have an interest for history".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "interest for" functions as a prepositional phrase, often used to indicate a connection or relevance, although grammatically questionable. Ludwig shows that despite its frequent usage, it is considered non-standard.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

35%

Academia

28%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "interest for" is commonly found across various sources, Ludwig AI highlights that it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "interest in". Despite the prevalence of "interest for", especially in News & Media and Scientific contexts, writers should aim for grammatical precision and use "interest in" to maintain credibility. It is important to note that although widely used, it's advisable to employ correct phrasing like "interest in", or alternatives such as "enthusiasm for" and "keen on".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

interest in

Corrects the grammatical error by using the proper preposition.

enthusiasm for

Emphasizes a strong feeling of excitement or eagerness.

keen on

Indicates a strong liking or interest in something, more informal.

passion for

Highlights a very strong and intense interest.

curiosity about

Focuses on the desire to learn or know more.

fascination with

Indicates being extremely interested or captivated.

zeal for

Emphasizes passionate and energetic support.

appetite for

Suggests a strong desire or craving.

regard for

Indicates a consideration or respect towards something.

taste for

Implies a liking or appreciation developed through experience.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say someone is interested in something?

The correct phrase is to use "interest in", as in "She has an "interest in" marine biology".

What can I say instead of "interest for" to sound more natural?

Instead of "interest for", use alternatives such as "interest in", "enthusiasm for", or "keen on" depending on the context.

Is "interest for" ever grammatically correct?

No, "interest for" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct preposition to use with "interest" is "in".

How do I choose between "interest in" and alternatives like "passion for" or "fascination with"?

Choose based on the intensity of the feeling. "Interest in" is general, while "passion for" implies a strong enthusiasm and "fascination with" suggests being captivated.