Interest vs. Passion — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 18, 2024
Interest often denotes a curiosity or concern in a subject, whereas passion signifies a deep, emotional commitment to an activity or area.
Difference Between Interest and Passion
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Interest refers to a state of wanting to learn more about something or to be involved in something; it does not necessarily involve a deep emotional connection. On the other hand, passion is characterized by a powerful, compelling emotion or feeling towards a particular field or activity, often driving individuals to dedicate a significant amount of energy and time.
Interest can be casual and varying in intensity, where one might have an interest in many areas without being deeply committed to any. Whereas passion is typically intense and enduring, focusing on deep involvement and often defining a part of one's identity or life's work.
Interest allows for a broader exploration of multiple topics, facilitating a general appreciation or understanding. On the other hand, passion usually demands more focused attention and often results in a higher level of expertise or accomplishment in a specific area.
Interest might not necessarily push an individual to overcome significant challenges or persist through failure. Conversely, passion often fuels perseverance and motivation, even in the face of obstacles or discouragement.
Interest is often sparked by external factors like new information or exposure to an idea. Meanwhile, passion is usually a more intrinsic drive, which might be ignited by personal values, deep desires, or core emotional responses.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Curiosity or concern about a topic.
Deep emotional commitment to an activity or area.
Intensity
Can be mild or moderate.
Typically very strong and profound.
Duration
Can be temporary or fluctuate.
Often long-lasting and enduring.
Focus
Can be broad, covering multiple areas.
Usually deep and focused on one area.
Outcome
May or may not lead to deeper involvement.
Often leads to high expertise or personal fulfillment.
Compare with Definitions
Interest
Financial stakes or shares in a business or idea.
He bought an interest in the company last year.
Passion
A strong affection or enthusiasm for a subject or activity.
He has a passion for teaching children.
Interest
A feeling of wanting to know or learn about something.
She has an interest in learning Spanish.
Passion
A strong, barely controllable emotion.
He speaks with passion about environmental conservation.
Interest
The state of being concerned with or curious about something.
His interest in ancient history was sparked by a museum visit.
Passion
The suffering and enduring love for a pursuit or cause.
Her passion for social work drives her to volunteer tirelessly.
Interest
Legal rights or involvement in a matter.
She has a vested interest in seeing the project succeed.
Passion
An intense enthusiasm or desire for something.
Her passion for music is evident in her tireless practice.
Interest
A hobby or activity that one enjoys engaging in during free time.
Painting has always been more of an interest than a career for her.
Passion
The object of someone's intense interest or enthusiasm.
Cooking is more than a hobby; it's her passion.
Interest
Interest, in finance and economics, is payment from a borrower or deposit-taking financial institution to a lender or depositor of an amount above repayment of the principal sum (that is, the amount borrowed), at a particular rate. It is distinct from a fee which the borrower may pay the lender or some third party.
Passion
Strong and barely controllable emotion
A man of impetuous passion
Interest
A state of curiosity or concern about or attention to something
An interest in sports.
Passion
The suffering and death of Jesus
Meditations on the Passion of Christ
Interest
Something, such as a quality, subject, or activity, that evokes this mental state
Counts the theater among his interests.
Passion
Strong or powerful emotion
A crime of passion.
Interest
Often interests Regard for one's own benefit or advantage; self-interest
It is in your best interest to cooperate. She kept her own interests in mind.
Passion
A powerful emotion, such as anger or joy
A spirit governed by intense passions.
Interest
A right, claim, or legal share
An interest in the new company.
Passion
The object of such desire or love
She became his passion.
Interest
Something in which such a right, claim, or share is held
Has interests overseas.
Passion
Boundless enthusiasm
His skills as a player don't quite match his passion for the game.
Interest
A person or group of persons holding such a right, claim, or share
A petroleum interest.
Passion
The object of such enthusiasm
Soccer is her passion.
Interest
Involvement with or participation in something
She has an interest in the quality of her education.
Passion
An abandoned display of emotion, especially of anger
He's been known to fly into a passion without warning.
Interest
A charge for a loan, usually a percentage of the amount loaned.
Passion
The sufferings of Jesus in the period following the Last Supper and including the Crucifixion, as related in the New Testament.
Interest
An excess or bonus beyond what is expected or due.
Passion
A narrative, musical setting, or pictorial representation of Jesus's sufferings.
Interest
An interest group.
Passion
Martyrdom
The passion of Saint Margaret.
Interest
The particular cause supported by an interest group.
Passion
A true desire sustained or prolonged.
Interest
To arouse the curiosity or hold the attention of
Your opinions interest me.
Passion
Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.
We share a passion for books.
Interest
To cause to become involved or concerned with
Tried to interest her in taking a walk.
Passion
Fervor, determination.
Interest
(Archaic) To concern or affect.
Passion
An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.
It started as a hobby, but now my motorbike collection has become my passion.
Interest
The price paid for obtaining, or price received for providing, money or goods in a credit transaction, calculated as a fraction of the amount or value of what was borrowed.
Our bank offers borrowers an annual interest of 5%.
Passion
The suffering of Jesus leading up to and during his crucifixion.
Interest
Any excess over and above an exact equivalent
Passion
A display, musical composition, or play meant to commemorate the suffering of Jesus.
Interest
(uncountable) A great attention and concern from someone or something; intellectual curiosity.
He has a lot of interest in vintage cars.
Passion
(obsolete) Suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress.
A cardiac passion
Interest
(uncountable) Attention that is given to or received from someone or something.
Passion
(obsolete) The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition
Interest
(countable) An involvement, claim, right, share, stake in or link with a financial, business, or other undertaking or endeavor.
When scientists and doctors write articles and when politicians run for office, they are required in many countries to declare any existing conflicts of interest.
I have business interests in South Africa.
She has an interest in the proceedings, and all stakeholders' interests must be protected.
Passion
(obsolete) The capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.
Interest
(countable) Something or someone one is interested in.
Lexicography is one of my interests.
Victorian furniture is an interest of mine.
The main character's romantic interest will be played by a non-professional actor.
Passion
(obsolete) An innate attribute, property, or quality of a thing.
[...] to obtain the knowledge of some passion of the circle.
Interest
(uncountable) Condition or quality of exciting concern or being of importance.
Passion
(obsolete) Disorder of the mind; madness.
Interest
Injury, or compensation for injury; damages.
Passion
(obsolete) To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.
Interest
The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively.
The iron interest;
The cotton interest
Passion
(transitive) To give a passionate character to.
Interest
To engage the attention of; to awaken interest in; to excite emotion or passion in, in behalf of a person or thing.
It might interest you to learn that others have already tried that approach.
Action films don't really interest me.
Passion
A suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress (as, a cardiac passion); specifically, the suffering of Christ between the time of the last supper and his death, esp. in the garden upon the cross.
To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs.
Interest
To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite.
Passion
The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; - opposed to action.
A body at rest affords us no idea of any active power to move, and, when set in motion, it is rather a passion than an action in it.
Interest
(obsolete) To cause or permit to share.
Passion
Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.
Moldable and not moldable, scissible and not scissible, and many other passions of matter.
Interest
To engage the attention of; to awaken interest in; to excite emotion or passion in, in behalf of a person or thing; as, the subject did not interest him; to interest one in charitable work.
To love our native country . . . to be interested in its concerns is natural to all men.
A goddess who used to interest herself in marriages.
Passion
The state of the mind when it is powerfully acted upon and influenced by something external to itself; the state of any particular faculty which, under such conditions, becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited; any emotion or sentiment (specifically, love or anger) in a state of abnormal or controlling activity; an extreme or inordinate desire; also, the capacity or susceptibility of being so affected; as, to be in a passion; the passions of love, hate, jealously, wrath, ambition, avarice, fear, etc.; a passion for war, or for drink; an orator should have passion as well as rhetorical skill.
We also are men of like passions with you.
The nature of the human mind can not be sufficiently understood, without considering the affections and passions, or those modifications or actions of the mind consequent upon the apprehension of certain objects or events in which the mind generally conceives good or evil.
The term passion, and its adverb passionately, often express a very strong predilection for any pursuit, or object of taste - a kind of enthusiastic fondness for anything.
The bravery of his grief did put meInto a towering passion.
The ruling passion, be it what it will,The ruling passion conquers reason still.
Who walked in every path of human life,Felt every passion.
When statesmen are ruled by faction and interest, they can have no passion for the glory of their country.
Interest
To be concerned with or engaged in; to affect; to concern; to excite; - often used impersonally.
Or rather, gracious sir,Create me to this glory, since my causeDoth interest this fair quarrel.
Passion
Disorder of the mind; madness.
Interest
To cause or permit to share.
The mystical communion of all faithful men is such as maketh every one to be interested in those precious blessings which any one of them receiveth at God's hands.
Passion
Passion week. See Passion week, below.
Interest
Excitement of feeling, whether pleasant or painful, accompanying special attention to some object; concern; a desire to learn more about a topic or engage often in an activity.
So much interest have I in thy sorrow.
Passion
To give a passionate character to.
Interest
Participation in advantage, profit, and responsibility; share; portion; part; as, an interest in a brewery; he has parted with his interest in the stocks.
Passion
To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.
Interest
Advantage, personal or general; good, regarded as a selfish benefit; profit; benefit.
Divisions hinder the common interest and public good.
When interest calls of all her sneaking train.
Passion
Strong feeling or emotion
Interest
A fee paid for the use of money; a fee paid for a loan; - usually reckoned as a percentage; as, interest at five per cent per annum on ten thousand dollars.
They have told their money, and let outTheir coin upon large interest.
Passion
Intense passion or emotion
Interest
Any excess of advantage over and above an exact equivalent for what is given or rendered.
You shall have your desires with interest.
Passion
Something that is desired intensely;
His rage for fame destroyed him
Interest
The persons interested in any particular business or measure, taken collectively; as, the iron interest; the cotton interest.
Passion
An irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action
Interest
A sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something;
An interest in music
Passion
Any object of warm affection or devotion;
The theater was her first love
He has a passion for cock fighting
Interest
The power of attracting or holding one's interest (because it is unusual or exciting etc.);
They said nothing of great interest
Primary colors can add interest to a room
Passion
The suffering of Jesus at the crucifixion
Interest
A reason for wanting something done;
For your sake
Died for the sake of his country
In the interest of safety
In the common interest
Interest
A fixed charge for borrowing money; usually a percentage of the amount borrowed;
How much interest do you pay on your mortgage?
Interest
A diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly);
Sailing is her favorite pastime
His main pastime is gambling
He counts reading among his interests
They criticized the boy for his limited pursuits
Interest
(law) a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something;
They have interests all over the world
A stake in the company's future
Interest
(usually plural) a social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims;
The iron interests stepped up production
Interest
Excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of
Interest
Be on the mind of;
I worry about the second Germanic consonant
Common Curiosities
Is passion always beneficial?
While passion can drive personal fulfillment and achievement, it may also lead to burnout if not balanced with other life aspects.
How can I identify my passions?
Reflect on what activities you feel most enthusiastic and energized about, especially those you are willing to sacrifice for.
What is the main difference between interest and passion?
Interest is generally a mild curiosity or concern about a topic, while passion is a deeper, emotional engagement with it.
Can interest develop into passion?
Yes, interest can evolve into passion as one gains more exposure and deeper involvement in a subject.
Is it necessary to have passions?
No, not everyone has a passion, and it's perfectly acceptable to have varying interests instead.
How do interests benefit personal development?
Interests contribute to a well-rounded personality and can encourage continuous learning and growth.
What role does passion play in personal relationships?
Passion can enhance relationships by deepening emotional connections and shared activities.
Can a person have multiple passions?
Yes, it's possible to have multiple passions, although they might vary in intensity and focus.
How does interest affect career choices?
Interest can guide career exploration, but it might not necessarily drive one's career decisions as strongly as passion might.
What impact does passion have on success?
Passion often leads to greater dedication and persistence, which can significantly impact personal and professional success.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
