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

About one-third of American workers now earn income from a source other than a traditional nine-to-five job, whether this is their primary occupation or a side hustle. —Liya Palagashvili, National Review, 11 July 2025

Some have sought side hustles that don’t require AI. —Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025

Earning money through side hustles is a skill 30% of Gen Zers wanted help with, according to the report. —Kris Ann Valdez, Parents, 10 July 2025

Perhaps a side hustle that feels totally out of left field! —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for side hustle

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