hustle

1 of 2

verb

hus·​tle ˈhə-səl 

hustled; hustling ˈhə-s(ə-)liŋ  ; hustles

transitive verb

1

a

: to crowd or push roughly : jostle, shove

had been hustled into a jail cell with the other protesters

b

: to convey forcibly or hurriedly

… grabbed him by the arm and hustled him out the door …

—John Dos Passos

c

: to urge forward precipitately

hustling tourists from one museum to the next

2

a

: to obtain by energetic activity

—usually used with up

hustle up new customers

try to hustle up some tickets to tonight's game

hustling up some grub

b

: to sell something to or obtain something from (someone) by energetic and especially underhanded activity : swindle

hustling the suckers

an elaborate scam to hustle the elderly

c

: to sell or promote energetically and aggressively

hustling a new product

d

: to lure less skillful players into competing against oneself at (a gambling game)

hustle pool

intransitive verb

1

: shove, press

2

: hasten, hurry

you'd better hustle if you want to catch the bus

3

a

: to make strenuous efforts to obtain especially money or business

Our quartet was out hustling … and we knew we stood good to take in a lot of change before the night was over.

—Louis Armstrong

b

: to obtain money by fraud or deception

c

: to engage in sex work

4

: to play a game or sport in an alert aggressive manner

She's not the most talented player on the team, but she always hustles.

hustle

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: energetic activity

I … went about the hustle of summer life.

—Stephen W. Kress

You stepped out of Penn Station into the dizzying hustle of Eighth Avenue …

—Colson Whitehead

I enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city.

b

chiefly US : effort and energy in playing a sport

a baseball player who has been criticized for lack of hustle

The fans admire them for their hustle.

a player known more for his hustle than his talent

2

informal : a dishonest plan for getting money : scam

Now, the secret of any hustle is that you have to have information that the other guy doesn't have.

—Paul Newman

… a once-inspired con man on his last hustle …

—Marilyn Stasio

Synonyms

Verb

• bang away
• beaver (away)
• dig (away)
• drudge
• endeavor
• fag
• grub
• hump
• labor
• moil
• peg (away)
• plod
• plow
• plug
• slave
• slog
• strain
• strive
• struggle
• sweat
• toil
• travail
• tug
• work

Examples of hustle in a Sentence

Verb

The guards hustled the prisoners into the jail.

The star's manager hustled him out the back door of the theater to avoid the throngs of fans.

He's not the most talented player on the team, but he always hustles.

He's been hustling drugs for a few years.

They hustle diamonds, furs—whatever people are buying.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Their dynamic is quickly established in the opening moments, which find Dreux hustling at an outpost of Norm’s diner — an LA staple — schmoozing with every customer, charming the old ladies and the still-drunk gals. —Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 15 Jan. 2025

The group was hustling to have her house livable by the time the baby comes. —Nora O’Neill, Charlotte Observer, 14 Jan. 2025

Noun

In many ways, it could be seen as the pinnacle of the silent travel trend, since sleeping in a cave can help guests escape the hustle and bustle of ordinary life—whether that’s busyness and stress from work, school, or other people. —Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2025

Even if a suite isn’t in your budget, a balcony stateroom still offers a comfortable escape from the hustle and bustle of the ship, especially for scenic itineraries. —David Nikel, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Dutch husselen to shake, from Middle Dutch hutselen, frequentative of hutsen

First Known Use

Verb

1751, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing hustle

• hustle and bustle
• hustle up
• side hustle

Kids Definition

hustle

verb

hus·​tle ˈhəs-əl 

hustled; hustling ˈhəs-(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to push, crowd, or force forward roughly

hustled the prisoner to jail

2

: to move or work rapidly and tirelessly

3

: to sell something to or get something from by energetic and especially dishonest activity

hustle noun

hustler

ˈhəs-lər 

noun