side hustle

noun

variants or less commonly side-hustle

ˈsīd-ˌhə-səl 

plural side hustles also side-hustles

: work performed for income supplementary to one's primary job

These days, lots of people have a side hustle to help them earn extra income, develop new skills, become a business owner and quit their day job.

—Kitsap Sun

The best part of using a blog as a side hustle is the work you put in now will continue to pay off well into the future.

—Emory Wheel (Emory University)

Want to learn a new skill you've had your eyes on for quite some time? Or perhaps you want to take up a new hobby that you can eventually turn into a side hustle?

—Jan Cortes

We all know that millennials love a good side hustle—to fuel both their passions and their wallets.

—Alissa Carpenter

Examples of side hustle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But looking forward, whatever with the job market, Meyer plans to keep up his new side hustle—even once school picks back up in September. — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 25 July 2026

Some start side hustles out of their dorm room, convince their company to sponsor an advanced degree or apply to hundreds of scholarships. — Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 24 July 2026

Many are strategically starting businesses as side hustles while still employed, testing ideas and acquiring new skills with reduced financial risk. — Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

It’s founded by former firefighter Bob Tumolo, who started selling it from his front porch as a side hustle. — Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for side hustle

• mofussil
• bustle
• muscle
• mussel
• russel
• rustle
• trussell
• tussle