as in scams
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
a clever hustle that tricked people into revealing their bank account information
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in struggles
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 hurries
to proceed or move quickly
we'd better hustle, or we'll miss the train
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in squeezes
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of hustles
Preston Fore, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
Side hustles also encourage better time management and focus.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The holiday season brings out dozens of holiday-specific hustles, from wrapping packages and running errands to hanging lights or serving appetizers and drinks at Christmas and Hanukkah parties.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Dec. 2025
Vera Bradley Featherweight Belt Bag Lightweight and versatile enough to go with your travel capsule wardrobe, the Vera Bradley belt bag keeps your must-haves close without weighing you down—perfect for airport hustles, sightseeing days, or errand runs between trips.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2025
In the modern day, more than 50% of young Americans have side-hustles, many of which manifest as artistic pursuits that fulfill their creative passions.
—William Jones, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Kara Newman, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Most notably, watch here as backup center Oso Ighodaro shuts down Jalen Brunson’s final attempt to tie the score, then Grayson Allen deflects his pass, hustles into the backcourt and banks it off Mikal Bridges’ face and out of bounds.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The pair goes out and hustles other players with a cunning ruse that relies on the era’s racial and ethnic divisions.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
The film keeps pace through toe-curlingly tense table tennis face-offs, high-stakes hustles, and a jaw-dropping scene involving a bathtub that honestly puts Saltburn to shame.
—Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
Families looking for the perfect holiday card shot drive photography hustles in November.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Dec. 2025
Sylvie hustles out of the party and, presumably, out of Yvette’s life forever.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Monica hustles around all day to cook the perfect meal, which is inevitably ruined (a recurring theme in these holiday episodes).
—Gretchen Hansen, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025
No rest for the weary (or, in her case, the never-worn), Maxine straightens her unblemished aqua blue attire, hustles her heeled feet over to the receiver, and picks up a fresh piece of gossip — gossip that sends her scurrying back out on her next errand.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
Noun
Cuban may be worth billions today, but his career started with small-time hustles.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
Side hustles also encourage better time management and focus.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The holiday season brings out dozens of holiday-specific hustles, from wrapping packages and running errands to hanging lights or serving appetizers and drinks at Christmas and Hanukkah parties.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Dec. 2025
Vera Bradley Featherweight Belt Bag Lightweight and versatile enough to go with your travel capsule wardrobe, the Vera Bradley belt bag keeps your must-haves close without weighing you down—perfect for airport hustles, sightseeing days, or errand runs between trips.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2025
In the modern day, more than 50% of young Americans have side-hustles, many of which manifest as artistic pursuits that fulfill their creative passions.
—William Jones, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
Compared to the behemoth Acela, which hustles hundreds of thousands of riders between Boston, New York City, and Washington DC each month, Amtrak's Mardi Gras line is downright petite—just two 58-seat coaches, plus a café car and a 14-seat Business Class car.
—Kara Newman, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Most notably, watch here as backup center Oso Ighodaro shuts down Jalen Brunson’s final attempt to tie the score, then Grayson Allen deflects his pass, hustles into the backcourt and banks it off Mikal Bridges’ face and out of bounds.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
The pair goes out and hustles other players with a cunning ruse that relies on the era’s racial and ethnic divisions.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
The film keeps pace through toe-curlingly tense table tennis face-offs, high-stakes hustles, and a jaw-dropping scene involving a bathtub that honestly puts Saltburn to shame.
—Anastasia Sanger, Glamour, 22 Dec. 2025
Families looking for the perfect holiday card shot drive photography hustles in November.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Dec. 2025
Sylvie hustles out of the party and, presumably, out of Yvette’s life forever.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Monica hustles around all day to cook the perfect meal, which is inevitably ruined (a recurring theme in these holiday episodes).
—Gretchen Hansen, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Nov. 2025
No rest for the weary (or, in her case, the never-worn), Maxine straightens her unblemished aqua blue attire, hustles her heeled feet over to the receiver, and picks up a fresh piece of gossip — gossip that sends her scurrying back out on her next errand.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hustles
Noun
-
Replying confirms your number is active, while clicking anything can lead to fake login pages, follow-up scams or malware.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Safety and security also play a role, from a home free of hazards to AI phone scams that are becoming more prevalent among older generations.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The film tells the story 21-year-old Junyang, who drifts through life while his father quietly struggles to hold their modest home together.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The middle-aged woman cured of breast cancer who now struggles to climb stairs because endocrine therapy has carved away her bone density and caused joint aches.—
Gilberto Lopes,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Nix almost always hurries his throws when a blitz comes Harvey’s way, regardless of whether the rookie RB picks it up capably or not.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
All this requires a lot of power, which puts a strain on the grid and squeezes local resources.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, in order to protect their identities, their words are read aloud during re-enactments by powerhouse actresses such as Emma Thompson (who squeezes herself beneath an axle) and Kate Dickie (performing, as the nurse, on all fours on Kenmure Street itself).—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cohen said that Harpers, which is also 100 years old this year, strives to make its customers comfortable enough to just come in and visit without necessarily buying anything.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The 57-year-old now strives for something even more elusive and meaningful than success in the nation’s top baseball conference.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bridgerton fans can spot the Old Royal Naval College mostly throughout season 2, like when a paperboy scurries across the grounds to deliver the latest gossip from Lady Whistledown in the first episode.—
Kayla Keegan,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The hand then detaches from the arm and scurries forward towards a bannana, flips it upward and secures it on its backside using a single finger.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The first layer, called the Level-1 Trigger, or L1T, harvests 100,000 events per second, and the second layer, called the High-Level Trigger, or HLT, plucks 1,000 of those events to save for later analysis.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Feb. 2026
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From the metallic sheen of a beetle to the delicacy of a butterfly, Sandini described how Materia Futura plucks inspiration straight from nature.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
New England Patriots' safety Craig Woodson rushes Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III on Sunday.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Walker ranks top 10 in both yards per carry and rushes of 10-plus yards in the red zone, according to NGS.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hustles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hustles. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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