side hustle

American

[sahyd huhs-uhl] / ˈsaɪd ˌhʌs əl /

noun

Slang.

a job or occupation that brings in extra money beyond one’s regular job and main source of income.

My book launch was the catalyst to finally take my side hustle seriously by turning it into a full-time gig.

Etymology

Origin of side hustle

First recorded in 2000–05

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.

A viral AI project went from a side hustle to a coveted prize in three months.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

Abeer Laiq, who started selling Indian jewellery at her stall as a "side hustle", said she loved the "energy" found at car boot sales.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

Sushi and traditional Korean restaurants have begun making the desserts in a lucrative side hustle.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

Open-heart surgery, which has an extremely high rate of success, and a retirement where you work part-time and have a side hustle to bring in extra cash.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 23, 2025

“I’m not going to charge people or do their homework for them. This side hustle was Kojo’s idea.”

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023