hustler

IPA/ˈhʌslə(r)/
KK[hˈʌsəlɚ]IPA/ˈhʌslər/

hustler — noun

  • hustlersingular
  • hustlersplural

1. a sharp-witted person who makes money by fooling others — for example, by sellin

1.nounC1
Definition

a sharp-witted person who makes money by fooling others — for example, by selling fake goods, running a card scam on the street, or talking strangers into paying for something worthless.

Example

Madison lost two hundred dollars to a hustler running a card trick near the train station.

common pattern: lose money to a hustler

The old neighbourhood was full of small-time hustlers selling fake watches to tourists.

collocation: small-time hustler

Common collocations
  • small-time hustler
  • street hustler
  • smooth-talking hustler
Synonyms
  • swindler

    more formal; emphasises the act of cheating someone out of money

  • con artist

    stresses an elaborate, convincing scheme rather than a quick trick

  • scammer

    modern and very common; often used of online or phone fraud

Grammar Patterns

a hustler

small-time hustler

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person; the verb is often 'lost money to' or 'tricked by'. Distinguish from sense 2, which is an offensive label for a sex worker rather than a swindler.

Common Mistakes

He works as a hustler in a big company' (when meaning a hard worker).
He is known as a real go-getter at the company.
'hustler' implies cheating people, not just working hard.

2. an offensive word used, mostly in American English, for a person who is paid to

2.nounC2
Definition

an offensive word used, mostly in American English, for a person who is paid to have sex — particularly a man who looks for customers on the street.

Example

The documentary followed several hustlers working the back streets of Los Angeles in the 1980s.

common collocation: hustlers working [location]

Calling someone a hustler in this sense is insulting and should be avoided in polite conversation.

register marker: offensive use

Common collocations
  • street hustler
  • young hustler
Synonyms
  • sex worker

    the neutral, respectful modern term preferred in news writing

  • prostitute

    more formal but still felt by many to be judgmental

Grammar Patterns

a hustler

Usage Note

Considered offensive — used mainly in older American slang, often about male sex workers. Most modern writers prefer the neutral term 'sex worker'. Different from sense 1 (a person who cheats others for money).

Common Mistakes

My friend is a hustler at a clothes shop' (when meaning a great salesperson).
My friend is a really energetic salesperson at the clothes shop.
this sense of 'hustler' refers to a sex worker and is offensive.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words name someone who takes money dishonestly, but the flavour differs. A 'hustler' is street-smart and informal, usually working small, quick tricks face to face. A 'swindler' sounds older and more formal; it suggests cheating someone out of a larger sum, sometimes through a position of trust. A 'con artist' implies a longer, more polished plan — building a convincing story and gaining the victim's confidence before taking the money. 'Scammer' is the modern, everyday choice, especially for online or phone fraud — fake emails, dating-app cheats, or call-centre tricks. In short: a hustler works the street, a con artist works the long game, a swindler is the formal newspaper word, and a scammer hides behind a screen.

hustler ↗swindler ↗con artist ↗scammer

Common collocations

Nouns

  • street hustler
  • small-time hustler

Phrases

  • a smooth-talking hustler

Prepositions

  • lose money to a hustler

Etymology

DutchEnglish

Comes from the verb 'hustle', which entered English from Dutch 'husselen' meaning 'to shake'. By the 1800s, 'hustle' had taken on the meaning of pushing one's way through a crowd, and from there it grew to describe energetic, sometimes pushy, money-making. 'Hustler' was first used for an aggressive worker, then in American slang for a swindler or street trickster.