various interests

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "various interests" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to refer to a range or variety of different things that someone is interested in. Example: "John had various interests, including reading, hiking, and painting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Many foreigners with various interests are present.

The New York Times

People perceive conflicts in his various interests.

The New York Times

"Various interests see voting patterns," Chief Justice Moyer said.

The New York Times

And certainly, people use "privacy" to describe very various interests.

MIT Technology Review

'Le Pouvoir' (The Power) is shorthand for the various interests that most believe run the country.

The Guardian

The name is just an umbrella for the various interests of Mr. Goldsworthy and Mr. Murphy.

The New York Times - Arts

"And what they agreed on was the least-common denominator of the various interests at hand".

The New York Times

If Mr. Moore is looking to bridge his various interests, he's off to a good start.

The New York Times - Arts

It has since established communities around various interests, including food, fashion and television shows.

The New York Times - Tech

The anti-Assad forces are fragmented in part because of the various interests of their donors.

The Guardian - Opinion

Leaders should be managing various interests in a way to achieve positive development results.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a person's hobbies or passions, use "various interests" to indicate a wide range of activities they enjoy. For example, "She has "various interests", including photography, hiking, and playing the piano."

Common error

Avoid using "various interests" as a vague filler. Instead, try to provide specific examples of the interests to give your writing more impact and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "various interests" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. It describes a collection or range of things that someone is interested in, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Academia

13%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "various interests" is a grammatically correct and frequently used noun phrase that describes a range of different pursuits. According to Ludwig, its usage spans across diverse contexts, including News & Media, Academia, and Science, indicating its versatility. The phrase is considered neutral in register and can be effectively substituted with alternatives like "assorted interests" or "diverse interests" to enhance writing. When using the phrase, it's best practice to provide specific examples to avoid vagueness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

assorted interests

Replaces "various" with "assorted", emphasizing the diverse nature of the interests.

multiple interests

Substitutes "various" with "multiple", highlighting the numerous nature of the interests.

diverse interests

Uses "diverse" instead of "various", focusing on the heterogeneity of the interests.

numerous interests

Replaces "various" with "numerous", stressing the quantity of interests.

multifarious interests

Substitutes "various" with "multifarious", indicating a wide variety of interests.

different interests

Uses "different" instead of "various", emphasizing the distinct nature of the interests.

respective interests

Highlights that interests are specific to different individuals or groups.

individual interests

Focuses on the interests of separate persons.

other interests

Emphasizes interests that are additional or distinct from a previously mentioned set.

considerable interests

Highlights the extent to which a person or group is interested in something

FAQs

How can I use "various interests" in a sentence?

You can use "various interests" to describe a range of hobbies, passions, or concerns that someone has. For instance, "He pursued "various interests", from coding to playing jazz music."

What are some alternatives to saying "various interests"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "assorted interests", "diverse interests", or "multiple interests".

Is it better to say "various interests" or list the interests directly?

Listing the interests directly provides more detail and clarity. However, "various interests" is useful when you want to generally indicate a wide range of activities without specifying them all.

What's the difference between "various interests" and "common interests"?

"Various interests" refers to a wide range of different pursuits, while "common interests" refers to interests that are shared among a group of people. They describe different aspects of interest.