as a side interest

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a side interest" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an activity or hobby that is not the main focus or priority in someone's life. Example: "In addition to my full-time job, I write short stories as a side interest."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

He became a developer as a side interest to his medical career.

The Guardian

His wife was divorcing him, the security business he ran as a side interest had fallen into bankruptcy, and he had lost his home.

The Guardian

Also in 1989 he created costumes for the San Francisco Opera; a great enthusiast of the opera and ballet, Versace explored costume design as a side interest throughout his career.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Martin Nyffeler, an arachnologist from the University of Basel in Switzerland, began collecting reports of unusual spider prey as a side interest while researching more traditional spider-insect interactions.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

As a model and sympathetic partner for Ms. Fraser, whose major athletic experience before golf had been as a racing sailor with a side interest in tennis, Ms. Falkenburg brought in Cynthia Shogren, then the president of the Women's Long Island Golf Association.

The New York Times - Arts

Mr. Coyne, as usual, played the ringleader, with a side interest in distressed folk song.

The New York Times - Arts

Even then, she thought of her work as a way to connect to a longtime side interest in space.

The New Yorker

And it became kind of a passion and side interest.

Huffington Post

Such barriers are used in order to compensate for the reduction in band discontinuities that occurs when using InGaAs confining layers (CL) to red-shift the emission towards the spectral windows of optoelectronic interest; as a side effect, such a reduction causes a decrease of carrier confinement and then an inefficient emission at room temperature.

Materials Science and Engineering: C

Specifically, say our sources, the typical 20percentt discount assigned to shares by secondary purchasers has, in Lyft's case, dropped to between 13 and 9percentt, as buy-side interest grows and existing shareholders hang on for the ride.

TechCrunch

In other RNA-Seq papers, read-throughs are mentioned as a side note or in the supplement as they were not the focus of interest [ 2, 12, 13].

BMC Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "as a side interest" to clearly indicate that an activity is pursued in addition to one's main profession or focus. This helps avoid ambiguity and clarifies the relative importance of the activity.

Common error

Avoid presenting a "side interest" as a primary focus. Doing so can mislead your audience about your priorities and expertise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a side interest" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the manner in which an action is performed or a state exists. It specifies that something is done or exists in addition to a primary activity or focus. According to Ludwig, the phrase is considered grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

20%

Science & Research

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6.67%

Wiki

6.67%

Science

6.66%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "as a side interest" is a grammatically sound adverbial phrase used to describe an activity or pursuit that is secondary to one's main focus. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability. It is most commonly found in news and media, encyclopedia, and science-related contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that you're accurately portraying the relative importance of the activity and that you avoid overstating its significance in comparison to your primary focus. Consider alternative phrases like "as a hobby" or "in one's spare time" for slight variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as a hobby

Indicates a pursuit undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, similar to a side interest.

as a pastime

Implies a recreational activity done in one's free time, akin to a side interest.

as an additional pursuit

Highlights the supplementary nature of the activity, similar to "as a side interest".

in one's spare time

Focuses on when the activity is performed, implying it's not a main focus.

as a secondary occupation

Emphasizes the non-primary nature of the activity, more formal.

as a supplemental activity

Stresses the supportive role of the activity, a more structured alternative.

as a complementary interest

Highlights that this interest adds or completes the person's primary interests.

as an avocational pursuit

Implies a hobby or minor occupation, more formal and less common.

as a recreational activity

Highlights the leisure aspect of the activity, focusing on relaxation.

as something to do on the side

Informal way of describing it, focusing on adding to primary job.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "as a side interest"?

You can use alternatives like "as a hobby", "as a pastime", or "in one's spare time" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to list a hobby "as a side interest" on a resume?

Listing a hobby "as a side interest" can add personality to your resume. Ensure it's relevant to the job or highlights a valuable skill. Otherwise, it might be best to omit it.

What's the best way to describe something I do "as a side interest" in a professional setting?

When describing a "side interest" in a professional setting, emphasize skills or knowledge gained that are applicable to your role. Frame it as a way you enhance your professional development.

How does "as a side interest" differ from "as a passion project"?

"As a side interest" implies a casual pursuit, while "as a passion project" suggests a strong emotional investment and dedication. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects your level of engagement.