human interest

American  

noun

1. a quality of a story or report, as in a newspaper or on a newscast, that engages attention and sympathy by enabling one to identify readily with the people, problems, and situations described.

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human interest British  

noun

1. (in a newspaper story, news broadcasting, etc) reference to individuals and their emotions

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Other Word Forms

• human-interest
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of human interest

First recorded in 1775–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

human interest

He also has worked as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, where he often wrote human interest stories and reported on the region's large population of immigrants, education and suburban news.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026

Annie enjoys covering trends in human interest, LGBTQ+ issues and climate policy.

From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2025

It’s just really hard because in some ways these are both human interest stories and legal stories.

From Slate ● Dec. 31, 2024

Thankfully, this is also true for those of us who enjoy a well-told saga about a more universal human interest: music.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 26, 2024

You do not engage the attention of the reader unless your story has basic human interest elements.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot