hustler

noun

hus·​tler ˈhə-slər 

plural hustlers

: a person who hustles: such as

a

: one who obtains money by fraud or deceit : scammer, swindler

A financial hustler who orchestrated the theft of $6.5 million from investors …

—Shayna Jacobs and Alec Tabak

… most of the eight major frauds Minkow helped uncover in the past year have involved hustlers trying to sell investments to church groups.

—Adam Zagorin

b

: one who lures less skillful players into competing at a gambling game

a pool hustler

This is where the chess hustlers have seized their opportunity. Camped out at the picnic tables in Harvard Square, these seasoned locals will play with you—for a price.

—Evan Zigmond

c

: an athlete who plays with alert energy and aggressiveness

a hustler on the soccer field

By always being the teacher's pet, by being a hustler in football practice and by being the fringe member of many social groups but the leader of none, Kelly managed to mask his insecurities.

—Michael Reese

d

: sex worker

a male hustler

"Beat" is old carny slang. According to Beat Movement legend … , Ginsberg and Kerouac picked it up from a character named Herbert Huncke, a gay street hustler and drug addict from Chicago who began hanging around Times Square in 1939 …

—Louis Menand

Synonyms of hustler

• prostitute
• hooker

Examples of hustler in a Sentence

policemen kept the street clean of hustlers

the ad for the sales job claims that for someone who's a real hustler, the sky's the limit

Recent Examples on the Web

There are also still hustlers sitting at the movies with cameras. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026

Carlyle pitched itself as a local hero in contrast to New York hustlers and greenmailers, replacing its backing from Drexel Burnham’s junk-bond king, Michael Milken, with money from blue-chip names like the Mellon family. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Side hustlers frequently commit 30-35 hours weekly, underscoring the considerable time investment. — Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Additionally, there's a slew of hustlers online looking to fleece the unwary. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above