interest rate

[in-ter-ist reyt, -trist] / ˈɪn tər ɪst ˌreɪt, -trɪst /

NOUN

sum charged for use of money

Synonyms

STRONGEST

interest

WEAK

annual percentage rate bank rate borrowing rate lending rate price of money prime interest rate prime rate rate of interest

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The federal-funds rate is the formal name for the Fed’s benchmark interest rate.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

Another, more controversial, idea is for the Fed to pay a lower interest rate on bank reserves above a certain threshold, Duffie said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

Taylor estimates the neutral interest rate is 3%, while the current rate is 3.75%, indicating existing restrictiveness.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey says the UK's central bank will not rush to make a decision on interest rate rises, despite the world facing what he described as a "very big energy shock".

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

If Morgan Stanley went bust, Chrysler, along with anyone else who had done interest rate swaps with Morgan Stanley, stood to suffer.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis