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.

John Mejia was already struggling to make money as a part-time Lyft driver when soaring gas prices made his side hustle even harder.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

When the podcast first launched, Audrey thought it was "just a side hustle".

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

In reality, most women on the platform use it as a side hustle.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

“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