side hustle

noun

variants or less commonly side-hustle
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That can make training AI models a convenient side hustle. Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025 But that didn’t stop Tucci, who also has a travel and food show on the National Geographic network, from locking in a little fashion side hustle. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2025 Yes, some Trailblazers quit their jobs and climb Mount Everest, but the vast majority choose to take smaller steps, such as changing their eating habits, going back to school, starting a side hustle, investing more time and energy into their families, or leading the next project at work. James Patterson, Big Think, 24 Sep. 2025 Transamerica reports that 59% of Gen Z have a side hustle. Jennifer Moss, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for side hustle

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of side hustle was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Side hustle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/side%20hustle. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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