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

Yet when top Fed officials convened to assess the economy in March, Waller voted to maintain the central bank’s key U.S. interest rate at current levels.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 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

He has previously branded Powell a "knucklehead" and claimed he was "doing a lousy job" after his repeated calls for interest rate cuts were ignored.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

The borrower was told he had an “effective interest rate of 7 percent” when he was in fact paying something like 12.5 percent.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis