hustler

noun

hus·​tler ˈhə-slər How to pronounce hustler (audio)
plural hustlers
: a person who hustles: such as
a
: one who obtains money by fraud or deceit : scammer, swindler
A financial hustler who orchestrated the theft of $6.5 million from investors …Shayna Jacobs and Alec Tabak
… most of the eight major frauds Minkow helped uncover in the past year have involved hustlers trying to sell investments to church groups.Adam Zagorin
b
: one who lures less skillful players into competing at a gambling game
a pool hustler
This is where the chess hustlers have seized their opportunity. Camped out at the picnic tables in Harvard Square, these seasoned locals will play with you—for a price.Evan Zigmond
c
: an athlete who plays with alert energy and aggressiveness
By always being the teacher's pet, by being a hustler in football practice and by being the fringe member of many social groups but the leader of none, Kelly managed to mask his insecurities.Michael Reese
d
: sex worker
a male hustler
"Beat" is old carny slang. According to Beat Movement legend … , Ginsberg and Kerouac picked it up from a character named Herbert Huncke, a gay street hustler and drug addict from Chicago who began hanging around Times Square in 1939 …Louis Menand

Examples of hustler in a Sentence

policemen kept the street clean of hustlers the ad for the sales job claims that for someone who's a real hustler, the sky's the limit
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
For 42% of Gen Z and Millennial side hustlers, following a passion is one of their main drivers for choosing to start a side venture. Rachel Wells, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024 His 1982 film about a New York street hustler, Forty Deuce, featured Kevin Bacon in his first major film role. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2024 This would allow courts to distinguish between small-time hustlers and members of professional smuggling gangs. The Editors, National Review, 25 Oct. 2024 His beats evoked a cold winter night when the only people outside were the hustlers and the late-night stragglers looking for that last fix before the sun comes up and the block gets hot again. Angel Diaz, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hustler 

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hustler was in 1789

Dictionary Entries Near hustler

Cite this Entry

“Hustler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hustler. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

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