interest vs pursuit

interest and pursuit both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
interest	Yes	No	Yes	No
pursuit	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, interest and pursuit are synonyms defined as:

interest and pursuit: a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)

Other synonyms of interest include pastime.

As nouns, pursuit is a hyponym of interest; that is, pursuit is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than interest:

interest: a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)
pursuit: an auxiliary activity

Other hyponyms of interest include avocation, by-line, hobby, sideline, spare-time activity.

interest (noun)	pursuit (noun)
a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)	the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture
a reason for wanting something done	a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)
the power of attracting or holding one's attention (because it is unusual or exciting etc.)	an auxiliary activity
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something	a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria
(usually plural) a social group whose members control some field of activity and who have common aims
a fixed charge for borrowing money; usually a percentage of the amount borrowed
(law) a right or legal share of something; a financial involvement with something

interest (verb)	pursuit (verb)
excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of
be of importance or consequence
be on the mind of