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 ECB left its key interest rate at 2% in April, and next decides policy in June.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

The April report is the latest sign that the Fed interest rate cuts that markets were pricing in at the start of the year are no longer a 2026 story.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

On Tuesday, borrowing costs - as shown by the bond yield, or interest rate - across two, five, 10 and 30-year terms were all higher as the prime minister's future was in peril.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

If you bought into a 1-year CD in May 2025 that has now come due, you may have enjoyed a 4.5% interest rate, or even higher if you got a special deal.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

Enter Sosin, with his supposedly new and improved interest rate swap model—even though Drexel Burnham was not at the time a market leader in interest rate swaps.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis