hustle

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.

Synonyms of hustle

• struggle
• labor
• strive
• work
• endeavor

Examples of hustle in a Sentence

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

When Ava returns to hustle their luggage onto the train, her companion remains lost in thought. —Judy Berman, Time, 29 May 2026

In a sense, bees went from wild foragers to shift workers, clocking in for bloom season as beekeepers hustled them from farm to farm. —Literary Hub, 27 May 2026

But someone has to be out there to hustle the next Spider-Man or Supergirl. —Peter Bart, Deadline, 22 May 2026

Because in business development, the goal is never to hustle forever. —Thasha Batts, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing hustle

• hustle and bustle
• hustle up
• side-hustle

Rhymes for hustle

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

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