interest group

/ˌɪntərəst grup/

Other forms: interest groups

In politics, an interest group is an organization that unites around specific issues to try and influence public opinion and policy. Advocates for more off-leash dog parks in your town are one example of an interest group.

Environmental nonprofits like the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greenpeace are examples of interest groups. These organizations are focused on informing the public about issues that affect the environment, doing polls and research, raising money, and lobbying government officials. If a dozen kids in your neighborhood join forces to clean up trash, you could call them an interest group as well — a group with a shared interest that resolves to take action.

Definitions of interest group

1. noun

   (usually plural) a social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims
   synonyms: interest

   types:

   special interest

   an individual or group who are concerned with some particular part of the economy and who try to influence legislators or bureaucrats to act in their favor

   vested interest

   groups that seek to control a social system or activity from which they derive private benefit

   military-industrial complex

   a country's military establishment and the industries that produce arms and other military equipment

   type of:

   social group

   people sharing some social relation