to move quickly and with purpose, often in a busy or crowded environment, to work hard, especially at a job or task that requires a lot of effort, to engage in dishonest or illegal activities in order to make money

hustle someone out of something, hustle and grind, hustle and muscle

hustle and bustle, hustle up, hustle and flow

Formal and Informal Expressions of hustle

In different contexts, you can replace 'hustle' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'exertion, diligence' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'hurry, bustle' is a commonplace synonym.

hustle: Explore its Definition & Usage

hustle Definition

1to move quickly and with purpose, often in a busy or crowded environment
2to work hard, especially at a job or task that requires a lot of effort
3to engage in dishonest or illegal activities in order to make money

Using hustle: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "hustle" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
I had to hustle to catch the train.
Example
She's been hustling all day to finish the project.
Example
He got caught hustling drugs on the street corner.
Example
The salesman was trying to hustle me into buying a car I didn't want.

hustle Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for hustle

Antonyms for hustle

Idioms Using hustle

hustle someone out of something
to cheat or trick someone out of something, usually money
Example
The con artist hustled her out of her life savings.
hustle and grind
to work hard and persistently in order to achieve a goal
Example
He knew that success wouldn't come easy, so he had to hustle and grind every day.
hustle and muscle
to use both one's wits and physical strength to get what one wants
Example
He had to use a combination of hustle and muscle to get the job done.

Phrases with hustle

hustle and bustle
a noisy and busy activity, often in a public place
Example
The hustle and bustle of the city can be overwhelming for some people.
hustle up
to hurry up or move more quickly
Example
We need to hustle up if we want to make it to the movie on time.
hustle and flow
the combination of hard work and creativity required to succeed in a particular field
Example
He used his hustle and flow to become one of the most successful rappers in the industry.

Origins of hustle

from Dutch 'husselen', meaning 'to shake' or 'to toss'

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Summary: hustle in Brief

The verb 'hustle' [ˈhʌsl] has three main meanings: to move quickly and with purpose, to work hard, and to engage in dishonest or illegal activities. It is often used in phrases like 'hustle and bustle,' referring to busy environments, and idioms like 'hustle and grind,' denoting persistent hard work. Examples include 'I had to hustle to catch the train' and 'He got caught hustling drugs on the street corner.'