Main Difference – Hobby vs Interest
Hobby and interest are two words that are often used together. Thus, many people do not realize the difference between hobby and interest. Interest is the curiosity or the desire to know or learn about something or someone. Hobby, on the other hand, refers to a regular activity that is done for pleasure, particularly during one’s leisure time. The main difference between hobby and interest is that hobby is something that is actively pursued whereas interest is merely a wish to know or learn.
This article covers,
1. What is a Hobby? – Definition, Meaning, Usage and Examples
2. What is an Interest? – Definition, Meaning, Usage and Examples
3. Difference Between Hobby and Interest 
What is a Hobby
A hobby is an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure. Hobbies usually include collecting items and objects, playing sports, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits, etc. Some examples of hobbies include collecting stamps, collecting sea-shells, embroidery, fishing, gardening, car restoration, singing, bird watching, hiking, water sports, reading, writing poems and cooking. Hobby involves an active pursuit of an interest. In other words, a hobby always involves an action.
A person can gain a wealth of knowledge and skills by engaging in a hobby for a long period of time. With the advent of technology, some hobbies have grown less popular, and some new hobbies (e.g. video gaming, surfing the internet) have been created.
Her hobby is collecting sea shells.
What is an Interest
Interest is a feeling of wanting to know or learn about something or someone. If one has a strong interest in some subject, he or she may turn it into a hobby. But an interest is not necessarily a hobby. A person may have many interests, but not all of them are hobbies. However, a hobby is usually driven by an interest. For example, if a person is interested in literature, he or may she read novels. If a person is interested in adventure, he may take up an outdoor hobby such as canoeing, climbing, hunting, etc.
Just because a person is interested in some field or subject, he or she may not pursue it actively. For example, a person may have a passing interest for music. He may listen to music, but may not learn to play a musical instrument or to sing.
She is interested in classical music.
Difference Between Hobby and Interest
Definition
Hobby is an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.
Interest is a feeling of wanting to learn more about something or to be involved in something.
Active Pursuit
Hobbies are pursued actively.
Interest is not actively pursued.
Interdependence
Hobbies may be driven by an interest.
Interest may not necessarily lead to a hobby.
Image Courtesy:
“Seashells North Wales 1985” By Manfred Heyde – Own work, (CC-BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
“Listening To Music” (Public Domain) via Public Domain Pictures.net
