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Synonyms

hustler

American  
[huhs-ler] / ˈhʌs lər /

noun

  1. an enterprising person determined to succeed; go-getter.

  2. Slang. a person who employs fraudulent or unscrupulous methods to obtain money; swindler.

  3. Informal. an expert gambler or game player who seeks out challengers, especially unsuspecting amateur ones, in order to win money from them.

    He earned his living as a pool hustler.

  4. Slang. a prostitute.

  5. a person who hustles.


Etymology

Origin of hustler

First recorded in 1815–25; hustle + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Hustler - Kenyan parlance for someone eking out a living against the odds - helped portray him as someone who would prioritise the needs of the struggling folk.

From BBC • May 13, 2025

The Supreme Court decision that made Oliver’s middle-finger musical possible is 1988’s Hustler Magazine, Inc. v.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2025

Yet more than 30 years ago, the Supreme Court decided in Hustler v.

From Salon • Nov. 5, 2022

Now the production company behind Hustler Casino Live has launched an investigation that will include combing through security camera footage, conducting interviews and reviewing records.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2022

I applied to Mr Hustler to be lodged in rooms in College: and was put, first into rooms in Bishop's Hostel, and subsequently into rooms in the Great Court.

From Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy by Airy, George Biddell