as in driving
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1
as in laboring
to devote serious and sustained effort
everyone really hustled to get the project finished on schedule
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hustling
Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Once paid millions per picture, Rourke now often works in low-budget genre fare and international productions, making Hollywood Hustle’s premise of stars hustling to stay afloat feel less like parody and more like reportage.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
During these videos, quick cuts of clips show off aspirational mornings and evenings packed with journaling, working out, meditating, cleaning, side hustling, and more.
—Jamie Wilde, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
Several minutes later, Acuff missed another three-point try on a fastbreak before a hustling Brazile beat the Vols to the punch and jammed in another putback score for a 24-18 Arkansas lead.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026
Leading up to the scene, the ever-hustling Mauser is rushing from one harebrained scheme to another in order to get cash to travel to Tokyo to compete in the world championships for table tennis.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
This unfiltered depiction of two couples experiencing drug problems on the streets of New York — hustling, scoring, surviving — isn't framed by an inspiring message of recovery.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025
Opportunistic offense and hustling defense.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 21 Dec. 2025
Third-grader Noah Unell is a Rubik’s cube whiz and a hustling point guard who can spin a basketball on his finger like a Harlem Globetrotter.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 15 Dec. 2025
Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
The bubbling party scene in New York City was indeed a movie, and Puffy was hustling his way into the leading role.
—Essence, 11 Dec. 2025
Give them a moment to process the situation before hustling them out of there.
—Sara Rowe Mount, Parents, 28 Nov. 2025
On Canal Street on Thursday morning, lost tourists tripped over commuters hustling out of the subway, the grates on the souvenir stores went up, but most of the street vendors were still missing.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2025
The on-field swings were such a rarity that he was cheered on by Roberts, the Dodgers’ coaching staff and a handful of teammates and his walkup song (Michael Buble’s ‘Feeling Good’) blasted from the sound system briefly, sending photographers and cameramen hustling into action.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
From rushing out of the office to get party-ready, or hustling through the airport and reuniting with loved ones, to finally arriving at a glamorous night out with friends, each scene conveys merriment and personal style set against the backdrop of New York City.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
Alongside her siblings, one of her first moments hustling was selling drinks to visitors who were on vacation.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
Instead of hustling for one-day bookings, Patel engineered a system where one client often meant three to five events—maximizing return and loyalty.
—Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Not rich, not poor, not hustling, not struggling.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Once paid millions per picture, Rourke now often works in low-budget genre fare and international productions, making Hollywood Hustle’s premise of stars hustling to stay afloat feel less like parody and more like reportage.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
During these videos, quick cuts of clips show off aspirational mornings and evenings packed with journaling, working out, meditating, cleaning, side hustling, and more.
—Jamie Wilde, Fortune, 5 Jan. 2026
Several minutes later, Acuff missed another three-point try on a fastbreak before a hustling Brazile beat the Vols to the punch and jammed in another putback score for a 24-18 Arkansas lead.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026
Leading up to the scene, the ever-hustling Mauser is rushing from one harebrained scheme to another in order to get cash to travel to Tokyo to compete in the world championships for table tennis.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
This unfiltered depiction of two couples experiencing drug problems on the streets of New York — hustling, scoring, surviving — isn't framed by an inspiring message of recovery.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Dec. 2025
Opportunistic offense and hustling defense.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 21 Dec. 2025
Third-grader Noah Unell is a Rubik’s cube whiz and a hustling point guard who can spin a basketball on his finger like a Harlem Globetrotter.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 15 Dec. 2025
Verb
Students were hustling around campus, coming and going on the penultimate Saturday of the semester.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
The bubbling party scene in New York City was indeed a movie, and Puffy was hustling his way into the leading role.
—Essence, 11 Dec. 2025
Give them a moment to process the situation before hustling them out of there.
—Sara Rowe Mount, Parents, 28 Nov. 2025
On Canal Street on Thursday morning, lost tourists tripped over commuters hustling out of the subway, the grates on the souvenir stores went up, but most of the street vendors were still missing.
—Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2025
The on-field swings were such a rarity that he was cheered on by Roberts, the Dodgers’ coaching staff and a handful of teammates and his walkup song (Michael Buble’s ‘Feeling Good’) blasted from the sound system briefly, sending photographers and cameramen hustling into action.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
From rushing out of the office to get party-ready, or hustling through the airport and reuniting with loved ones, to finally arriving at a glamorous night out with friends, each scene conveys merriment and personal style set against the backdrop of New York City.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025
Alongside her siblings, one of her first moments hustling was selling drinks to visitors who were on vacation.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
Instead of hustling for one-day bookings, Patel engineered a system where one client often meant three to five events—maximizing return and loyalty.
—Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hustling
Adjective
-
But the small lineup has helped with spacing, creating more driving lanes for Dent while also allowing Bilodeau to beat more plodding counterparts on offense.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Bring along a non-driving guest to enjoy the hotel part of the program for $350.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the summer of 2024, UNICEF’s representative in Congo suggested that 361,000 children might be laboring in mines in southern Congo, though this number seems implausibly high and drew quick opprobrium from Congolese NGOs that work on the issue.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
What viewers didn’t see was the 40 hours Daniels spent laboring on the project from inside a bomb shelter during a 2025 missile attack in Kyiv.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But one weekend in November, people who would typically be hurrying by, staring down at their phones, stopped.—
The Editors,
Curbed,
15 Dec. 2025
-
Butler began hurrying Boise State and pushing up the tempo, which allowed the Broncos to score off several backdoor cuts and slip screens for big dunks and layups at the rim.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Real Measure of Success in 2026 Productivity in 2026 won’t be about squeezing more into your day.—
Luciana Paulise,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
This helps to prevent squeezing and mitigates friction on the feet for lasting comfort.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Learning how to study a football scouting report or work through a practice script can make a basketball player all the more diligent.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Darnold has to be diligent in seeing the Rams’ coverage rotations and making good decisions.—
Ted Nguyen,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
However, the technology has been moving faster than state regulations can accommodate, and lawmakers have been struggling to walk the line between innovation and patient safety.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
-
And, for many borrowers struggling with debt, exploring alternatives like debt settlement or consolidation may offer significant relief without the complications that bankruptcy rules can create.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With the most recent round of layoffs at Meta, plenty of online commenters have been rushing to declare virtual reality and the metaverse dead.—
Cortney Harding,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Video footage verified by The New York Times shows a member of staff rushing to an entrance to the consulate, where an agent appears to have opened the door.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Contessa’s Corner Sports leagues, state gambling regulators and tribal leaders have all raised concerns that prediction market trades on sports don’t have the same level of guardrails as sportsbooks to protect against cheating by athletes, referees, coaches and other insiders.—
Alex Sherman,Contessa Brewer,
CNBC,
9 Jan. 2026
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The predictions were that unleashing AI to the world at large would lead to an exponential rise in cheating at school and that student essays would cease to be original.—
Degen Pener,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hustling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hustling. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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