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human-interest story

American

[hyoo-muhn-in-ter-ist, -trist, yoo-] / ˈhju mənˈɪn tər ɪst, -trɪst, ˈju- /

noun

a story or report, as in a newspaper or on a newscast, designed to engage attention and sympathy by enabling one to identify readily with the people, problems, and situations described.

Etymology

Origin of human-interest story

First recorded in 1925–30

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.

Some have taken out high-interest loans against their settlement, which are eating up a greater percentage of their payout with each passing year.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

This contributed to consumers defaulting on high-interest loans, according to the lawsuit.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026

Business development companies, or BDCs, typically make high-interest loans to midsize corporations with junk credit ratings, using income from the loans to pay big dividends to their investors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025

Beijing has been deepening its investment on the continent — often with high-interest loans and other difficult financing terms.

From Seattle Times • May 23, 2024

But few of them stood out like Mr. Braun, who was still under investigation by the Justice Department in an entirely different matter: for gouging small businesses through high-interest loans.

From New York Times • Nov. 26, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023