Hustle means to work hard and move quickly with energy and determination. When a basketball player hustles for a loose ball, they're sprinting and diving without holding back. When you hustle to finish your homework before dinner, you're working with focus and speed.

The word carries a sense of energetic effort: working with urgency and drive. A student who hustles doesn't procrastinate or daydream. They attack their work with purpose. In sports, coaches love players who hustle because these athletes give maximum effort on every play, even when they're tired.

Hustle can also mean to rush or hurry someone along. A teacher might tell the class to hustle if they're moving too slowly between activities.

In business, having hustle can mean being ambitious and resourceful, always looking for opportunities. An entrepreneur with hustle doesn't wait for success to come to them. They make phone calls, network, and work longer hours than anyone else.