1
as in laboring
to devote serious and sustained effort
everyone really hustled to get the project finished on schedule
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hurrying
to proceed or move quickly
we'd better hustle, or we'll miss the train
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in squeezing
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
a swindler who hustled cashiers by getting them all confused while they were making change
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in driving
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hustling
Jesse Temple, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Rayah Marshall attacked the rim before hustling to the back of the player’s line.
—Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025
There were the embassy staff members hustling to the guest quarters with linens and a coffee maker.
—Jack Nicas, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
This is indeed a car that will reward you for hustling it down a twisty road should the desire arise.
—Ars Technica, 3 Jan. 2025
And for Lil Baby, one of the hottest artists out at the moment, the transition from hustling in the streets of Atlanta to earning over $100 million in record deals and endorsements came with a harsh financial wake-up call.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 23 Dec. 2024
As the Saints began hustling to the 1-yard line, the official closest to the play signaled for a clock stoppage.
—Ben Standig, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Those best situated to make crypto common and an essential part of life are likely much younger than the politicians out hustling for votes.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
That means hustling through a shower and getting dressed; a friend is picking me up for a day of thrift shopping and hitting the Amish grocery stores.
—R29 Team, refinery29.com, 11 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Pope made sure to share the celebration again, jogging to find his wife and daughters behind the bench for a long embrace before hustling to a TV interview.
—Jesse Temple, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Rayah Marshall attacked the rim before hustling to the back of the player’s line.
—Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025
There were the embassy staff members hustling to the guest quarters with linens and a coffee maker.
—Jack Nicas, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
This is indeed a car that will reward you for hustling it down a twisty road should the desire arise.
—Ars Technica, 3 Jan. 2025
And for Lil Baby, one of the hottest artists out at the moment, the transition from hustling in the streets of Atlanta to earning over $100 million in record deals and endorsements came with a harsh financial wake-up call.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 23 Dec. 2024
As the Saints began hustling to the 1-yard line, the official closest to the play signaled for a clock stoppage.
—Ben Standig, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Those best situated to make crypto common and an essential part of life are likely much younger than the politicians out hustling for votes.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
That means hustling through a shower and getting dressed; a friend is picking me up for a day of thrift shopping and hitting the Amish grocery stores.
—R29 Team, refinery29.com, 11 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hustling
Verb
-
The Mets’ 3-1 Opening Day loss to the Houston Astros at Daikin Park featured a baserunning blunder, a botched double play and a starting pitcher who was laboring by the fourth inning and was removed with two outs in the fifth.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2025
-
The Mets’ 3-1 Opening Day loss to the Houston Astros at Daikin Park featured a base-running blunder, a botched double play and a starting pitcher who was laboring by the fourth inning and was removed with two outs in the fifth.—
Abbey Mastracco,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
As a result, the rear-wheel A-Spec model gets slightly more driving range than the front-wheel drive (FWD) EX and Touring Prologue trims (296 miles of range, a combined MPGe rating of 99).—
Doug Newcomb,
PCMAG,
8 Aug. 2024
-
View Photos Some dual-motor all-wheel-drive electrics—such as early versions of the Tesla Model Y—offer more driving range than their two-wheel-drive analogs due to careful calibration to only use a single motor during the EPA's test cycles.—
Drew Dorian,
Car and Driver,
17 Mar. 2023
Verb
-
The state has grown increasingly reliant on unlicensed teachers because schools are struggling to retain experienced educators.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Jan. 2025
-
But because of passenger complaints and the need to revitalize a struggling tourist economy, the government adopted new regulations last month that will force a change in these habits.—
Natasha Frost,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Lars Baron/Getty Images/Getty Images Europe The ski jumping world remains embroiled in controversy stemming from a cheating scandal that was announced this week, initially involving a few members of the Norwegian team.—
Manuela López Restrepo,
NPR,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Shumpert’s cheating scandals and arrests for DUI and weed possession didn’t help matters.—
Zoe Guy,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Although resilience often looks like luck or good character, the ability to prevent or reduce losses from any type of risk entails careful planning and diligent efforts.—
Louis Gritzo,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
The group was not always diligent about following military directives.—
Asaf Elia-Shalev,
Sun Sentinel,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
This means going beyond policies and quotas, striving instead for cultural norms where differences are not only accepted but celebrated.—
Mo Hamzian,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
-
Meanwhile, along his journey, Odysseus encounters iconic figures from Greek mythology, including the nymph Calypso, the sorceress Circe and the goddess Athena, all while striving to reunite with his family.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
No! Indiscriminate mass deportation of our law abiding, industrious, dutiful neighbors only recently arrived?—
Timothy Cardinal Dolan,
New York Daily News,
2 July 2025
-
Pachuca never mustered enough quality around the industrious Salomon Rondon to truly threaten Yassine Bounou, even as Al Hilal’s passivity flirted with danger.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Before coming to The Athletic, Weiss spent a decade working for the government, primarily as a compliance bank regulator.—
Jared Weiss,
The Athletic,
27 Dec. 2024
-
There have been many examples of that from our first edition up until today with global producers and DJs working with top headliners from Saudi, Egypt, Lebanon and rest of the Arab world.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
27 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Hustling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hustling. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share