special interest

special interest (plural special interests)

1. A particular political issue that is the focus of political advocacy.
2. A shadowy group with political power.
   • 1941, Citizen Kane:

     And they're going to get the news--the true news--quickly and simply and entertainingly. And no special interests will be allowed to interfere with the truth of that news.

   • 2014, Renee E. Fox, “Support science, not potato special interests”, in Baltimore Sun:

     Next week, the Senate Appropriations Committee will decide whether to allow special interests rather than science — to determine which foods can be provided through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

3. A topic of particular interest and passion, particularly for an autistic person.

   I'm dating a boy called Nick whose special interest is video games; he won't stop talking about Pokémon.

   Synonym: (among autistic people) spin

4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see special,‎ interest.

• special interest group

• “special interest”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.