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human-interest story

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

noun

  1. 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.

See Examples For:

The Sunday March 7 issue dedicated two-thirds of the cover page and an additional double-page spread to a human-interest story about a male skateboarder.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 12, 2021

Bobby, Eddy and David are the subjects of Wardle’s new film Three Identical Strangers, an extraordinary documentary that starts as a feel-good human-interest story and, by the end, has you questioning the nature of existence.

From The Guardian Jun. 28, 2018

Do as We Say A New York Times editorial begins with a human-interest story:

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 10, 2015

However, that does not reveal the human-interest story.

From New York Times Dec. 10, 2014

One sent in a stringer to nose around The Coffee Pot Cafe for a human-interest story since it was August, a slow month for news.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck

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