Hustle vs. Shoot — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on November 2, 2023
Hustle means to move or work energetically, or it implies pushing one's way; shoot can mean to fire a projectile or to rapidly move.
Difference Between Hustle and Shoot
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Hustle implies energetic action or swindling; shoot can mean firing a gun or capturing a photo.
Hustle involves busy movement; shoot can refer to growth, as in a plant shoot.
In sports, to hustle is to play aggressively; to shoot is to attempt to score.
A hustle can be a type of scam; to shoot the breeze means to chat idly.
To hustle is to push through a crowd; shooting a look implies a sharp glance.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Energetic effort or swindle
Fire a gun, take a photo, or new plant growth
Usage in sports
Play with vigor
Attempt to score
Connotation
Aggressive, busy action
Firing, photography, or rapid movement
Colloquial meaning
To rush or swindle
To film, grow quickly, or speak
Physical action
To push or move with energy
To propel something with force
Compare with Definitions
Hustle
Energetic action.
She began to hustle, cleaning the house rapidly.
Shoot
Fire a gun.
He aimed and shot at the target.
Hustle
Vigorous activity.
The team showed great hustle on the field today.
Shoot
Rapid movement.
The car shot down the road.
Hustle
Push roughly; jostle
They were hissed and hustled as they went in
Shoot
In botany, a plant shoot consists of any plant stem together with its appendages, leaves and lateral buds, flowering stems, and flower buds. The new growth from seed germination that grows upward is a shoot where leaves will develop.
Hustle
Obtain illicitly or by forceful action
Linda hustled money from men she met
Shoot
Kill or wound (a person or animal) with a bullet or arrow
He was shot in the leg during an armed robbery
Troops shot dead 29 people
Hustle
Engage in prostitution
She would hustle for a few dollars
Shoot
Move or cause to move suddenly and rapidly in a particular direction
The car shot forward
Ward's hand shot out, grabbing his arm
He would have fallen if Marc hadn't shot out a hand to stop him
Hustle
A state of great activity
The hustle and bustle of the big cities
Shoot
(in soccer, hockey, basketball, etc.) kick, hit, or throw the ball or puck in an attempt to score a goal
Williams twice shot wide
He shot the ball straight at the goalkeeper
Hustle
A fraud or swindle
The hustles being used to avoid the draft
Shoot
Film or photograph (a scene, film, etc.)
She has just been commissioned to shoot a video
Hustle
To move or act energetically and rapidly
We hustled to get dinner ready on time.
Shoot
(of a plant or seed) send out buds or shoots; germinate
Some years one or other plant fails to shoot
Hustle
To push or force one's way.
Shoot
Inject oneself or another person with (a narcotic drug)
He shot dope into his arm
Hustle
To act aggressively, especially in business dealings.
Shoot
Plane (the edge of a board) accurately
I shot the longer edge down on the planer
Hustle
To obtain something by deceitful or illicit means; practice theft or swindling.
Shoot
A young branch or sucker springing from the main stock of a tree or other plant
He nipped off the new shoots that grew where the leaves joined the stems
Hustle
To solicit customers. Used of a pimp or prostitute.
Shoot
An occasion when a group of people hunt and shoot game for sport
A grouse shoot
Hustle
To misrepresent one's ability in order to deceive someone, especially in gambling.
Shoot
An occasion when a professional photographer takes photographs or when a film or video is being made
A photo shoot
A fashion shoot
Hustle
To push or convey in a hurried or rough manner
Hustled the prisoner into a van.
Shoot
Variant spelling of chute
Hustle
To cause or urge to proceed quickly; hurry
Hustled the board into a quick decision.
Shoot
A rapid in a stream
Follow the portages that skirt all nine shoots of whitewater
Hustle
To sell or get by questionable or aggressive means
Hustled stolen watches.
Hustling spare change.
Shoot
Used as a euphemism for ‘shit’
Shoot, it was a great day to be alive
Hustle
To pressure into buying or doing something
A barfly hustling the other customers for drinks.
Shoot
To hit, wound, or kill with a missile fired from a weapon.
Hustle
To misrepresent one's skill in (a game or activity) in order to deceive someone, especially in gambling
Hustle pool.
Shoot
To remove or destroy by firing or projecting a missile
Shot out the window.
Hustle
The act or an instance of jostling or shoving.
Shoot
To make (a hole, for example) by firing a weapon.
Hustle
Energetic activity; drive.
Shoot
To fire or let fly (a missile) from a weapon.
Hustle
(Slang) An illicit or unethical way of doing business or obtaining money; a fraud or deceit
"the most dangerous and wide-open drug hustle of them all" (Newsweek).
Shoot
To discharge (a weapon).
Hustle
To push someone roughly; to crowd; to jostle.
Shoot
To detonate or cause to explode
Shot off a firecracker.
Hustle
(intransitive) To rush or hurry.
I'll have to hustle to get there on time.
Shoot
To inject (a drug, for example) with a hypodermic syringe.
Hustle
(transitive) To bundle; to stow something quickly.
Shoot
To throw out or release (a fishing line, for example).
Hustle
(transitive) To con, swindle, or deceive; especially financially.
The guy tried to hustle me into buying into a bogus real estate deal.
Shoot
To send forth suddenly, intensely, or swiftly
The burning building shot sparks onto the adjacent roof. He shot an angry look at me.
Hustle
To play deliberately badly at a game or sport in an attempt to encourage players to challenge.
Shoot
To emit (a ray or rays of light or another form of energy).
Hustle
(informal) To obtain by illicit or forceful action.
Shoot
To utter (sounds or words) forcefully, rapidly, or suddenly
She shot a retort to the insult.
Hustle
(informal) To sell sex; to work as a pimp.
Shoot
(Slang) To give, send, or hand quickly
Shoot me that stapler.
Hustle
(informal) To be a prostitute; to exchange use of one's body for sexual purposes for money.
Shoot
(Informal) To spend, use up, or waste
They shot their savings on a new boat.
Hustle
To dance the hustle, a disco dance.
Shoot
To pass over or through swiftly
Shooting the rapids.
Hustle
(informal) To work.
Shoot
To cover (country) in hunting for game.
Hustle
(informal) To put a lot of effort into one's work.
Shoot
To record on film or video using a movie camera
Shot the scene in one take.
Hustle
A state of busy activity.
Shoot
To cause to project or protrude; extend
Shot out her arm to prevent the bottle from falling.
Hustle
A propensity to work hard and get things done; ability to hustle.
Shoot
To begin to grow or produce; put forth.
Hustle
(preceded by definite article) A type of disco dance, commonly danced to the Van McCoy song The Hustle.
Shoot
To pour, empty out, or discharge down or as if down a chute
Shot gravel into the hole.
Hustle
(prison slang) An activity, such as prostitution or reselling stolen items, that a prisoner uses to earn money in prison.
Shoot
To throw or propel (a ball, marble, or other projectile in a game) in a specific direction or toward the objective.
Hustle
(slang) An act of prostitution.
Shoot
To accomplish (the objective) of a game involving a projectile; score (a point, basket, or goal).
Hustle
To shake together in confusion; to push, jostle, or crowd rudely; to handle roughly; as, to hustle a person out of a room.
Shoot
To play (a game involving projectiles, such as golf or pool).
Hustle
To push or crows; to force one's way; to move hustily and with confusion; a hurry.
Leaving the king, who had hustled along the floor with his dress worfully arrayed.
Shoot
To attain (a given score) in golf.
Hustle
A swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property
Shoot
To play (a game involving dice, especially craps).
Hustle
A rapid bustling commotion
Shoot
To throw (the dice or a given score) in craps.
Hustle
Cause to move furtively and hurriedly;
The secret service agents hustled the speaker out of the amphitheater
Shoot
To slide (the bolt of a lock) into or out of its fastening.
Hustle
Move or cause to move energetically or busily;
The cheerleaders bustled about excitingly before their performance
Shoot
To plane (the edge of a board) straight.
Hustle
Sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity
Shoot
To variegate (colored cloth) by interweaving weft threads of a different color.
Hustle
Swindle.
He got caught up in a street hustle playing cards.
Shoot
To measure the altitude of with a sextant or other instrument
Shot the star.
Hustle
Assertiveness in business.
He's known for his hustle in the sales department.
Shoot
To discharge a missile from a weapon.
Hustle
Noun; a job or task.
She picked up a side hustle to earn extra cash.
Shoot
To discharge or fire; go off.
Shoot
To gush or spurt
Water shot out of the geyser.
Shoot
To appear suddenly
The sun shot through a break in the clouds.
Shoot
To move swiftly; dart.
Shoot
To be felt moving or as if moving in the body
Pain shot through my lower leg.
Shoot
To protrude; project
The headland shoots far out into the sea.
Shoot
To engage in hunting or the firing of weapons, especially for sport
Is shooting in Scotland during the fall.
Shoot
To put forth new growth; germinate.
Shoot
To take pictures.
Shoot
To film a scene in a movie.
Shoot
Sports & Games To propel a ball or other object toward the goal or in a specific direction or manner.
Shoot
(Games) To throw dice.
Shoot
(Slang) To begin talking. Often used in the imperative
I know you have something to tell me, so shoot!.
Shoot
To slide into or out of a fastening. Used of the bolt of a lock.
Shoot
The motion or movement of something that is propelled, driven, or discharged.
Shoot
The young growth arising from a germinating seed; a sprout.
Shoot
A young leaf, flower, or other new growth on a plant.
Shoot
The aboveground part of a vascular plant.
Shoot
A narrow, swift, or turbulent section of a stream.
Shoot
The act of discharging a weapon or letting fly a missile.
Shoot
(Informal) The launching of a rocket or similar missile.
Shoot
An organized shooting activity, such as a skeet tournament or hunt.
Shoot
A round of shots in a contest with firearms.
Shoot
A session in which something is photographed, filmed, or videotaped.
Shoot
The distance a shot travels; the range.
Shoot
A sharp twinge or spasm of pain.
Shoot
An inclined channel for moving something; a chute.
Shoot
A body of ore in a vein.
Shoot
Used to express surprise, mild annoyance, or disappointment.
Shoot
To launch a projectile.
Shoot
(transitive) To fire (a weapon that releases a projectile).
To shoot a gun
Shoot
(transitive) To fire (a projectile).
Shoot
(transitive) To fire a projectile at (a person or target).
The man, in a desperate bid for freedom, grabbed his gun and started shooting anyone he could.
The hunter shot the deer to harvest its meat.
Shoot
(intransitive) To cause a weapon to discharge a projectile.
They shot at a target.
He shoots better than he rides.
Shoot
(intransitive) To hunt birds, etc. with a gun.
They're coming to shoot with us on Sunday.
Shoot
(transitive) To hunt on (a piece of land); to kill game in or on.
Shoot
(gambling) To throw dice.
Shoot
To ejaculate.
After a very short time, he shot his load over the carpet.
Shoot
To begin to speak.
"Can I ask you a question?"
Shoot
(intransitive) To discharge a missile; said of a weapon.
The gun shoots well.
Shoot
To dismiss or do away with.
His idea was shot on sight.
Shoot
To photograph.
He shot the couple in a variety of poses.
He shot seventeen stills.
Shoot
To film.
The film was mostly shot in France.
Shoot
(transitive) To push or thrust a bolt quickly; hence, to open a lock.
Shoot
To move or act quickly or suddenly.
Shoot
(intransitive) To move very quickly and suddenly.
After an initial lag, the experimental group's scores shot past the control group's scores in the fourth week.
Shoot
To go over or pass quickly through.
Shoot the rapids
Shoot
(transitive) To tip (something, especially coal) down a chute.
Shoot
(transitive) To penetrate, like a missile; to dart with a piercing sensation.
A shooting pain in my leg
Shoot
To feel a quick, darting pain; to throb in pain.
Shoot
(obsolete) To change form suddenly; especially, to solidify.
Shoot
To send out or forth, especially with a rapid or sudden motion; to cast with the hand; to hurl; to discharge; to emit.
Shoot
To send to someone.
I'll shoot you an email with all the details
Shoot
(sport) To act or achieve.
Shoot
(wrestling) To lunge.
Shoot
(professional wrestling) To deviate from kayfabe, either intentionally or accidentally; to actually connect with unchoreographed fighting blows and maneuvers, or speak one's mind (instead of an agreed script).
Shoot
To make the stated score.
In my round of golf yesterday I shot a 76.
Shoot
(surveying) To measure the distance and direction to (a point).
Shoot
To inject a drug (such as heroin) intravenously.
Shoot
To develop, move forward.
Shoot
To germinate; to bud; to sprout.
Shoot
To grow; to advance.
To shoot up rapidly
Shoot
(nautical) To move ahead by force of momentum, as a sailing vessel when the helm is put hard alee.
Shoot
(transitive) To travel or ride on (breaking waves) rowards the shore.
Shoot
To push or thrust forward; to project; to protrude; often with out.
A plant shoots out a bud.
Shoot
To protrude; to jut; to project; to extend.
The land shoots into a promontory.
Shoot
(carpentry) To plane straight; to fit by planing.
Shoot
To variegate as if by sprinkling or intermingling; to color in spots or patches.W
Shoot
(card games) To shoot the moon.
Shoot
(aviation) To carry out, or attempt to carry out (an approach to an airport runway).
He tried to shoot the visual approach to runway 12, but the visibility was too low.
Shoot
To carry out a seismic survey with geophones in an attempt to detect oil.
Shoot
The emerging stem and embryonic leaves of a new plant.
Shoot
A photography session.
Shoot
A hunt or shooting competition.
Shoot
An event that is unscripted or legitimate.
Shoot
The act of shooting; the discharge of a missile; a shot.
Shoot
A rush of water; a rapid.
Shoot
(weaving) A weft thread shot through the shed by the shuttle; a pick.
Shoot
A shoat; a young pig.
Shoot
(mining) A vein of ore running in the same general direction as the lode.
Shoot
An inclined plane, either artificial or natural, down which timber, coal, ore, etc., are caused to slide; a chute.
Shoot
(card games) The act of taking all point cards in one hand.
Shoot
A seismic survey carried out with geophones in an attempt to detect oil.
Shoot
A mild expletive, expressing disbelief or disdain
Didn't you have a concert tonight? —Shoot! I forgot! I have to go and get ready…
Shoot
An inclined plane, either artificial or natural, down which timber, coal, etc., are caused to slide; also, a narrow passage, either natural or artificial, in a stream, where the water rushes rapidly; esp., a channel, having a swift current, connecting the ends of a bend in the stream, so as to shorten the course.
Shoot
The act of shooting; the discharge of a missile; a shot; as, the shoot of a shuttle.
The Turkish bow giveth a very forcible shoot.
One underneath his horse to get a shoot doth stalk.
Shoot
A young branch or growth.
Superfluous branches and shoots of this second spring.
Shoot
A rush of water; a rapid.
Shoot
A vein of ore running in the same general direction as the lode.
Shoot
A weft thread shot through the shed by the shuttle; a pick.
Shoot
A shoat; a young hog.
Shoot
To let fly, or cause to be driven, with force, as an arrow or a bullet; - followed by a word denoting the missile, as an object.
If you pleaseTo shoot an arrow that self way.
Shoot
To discharge, causing a missile to be driven forth; - followed by a word denoting the weapon or instrument, as an object; - often with off; as, to shoot a gun.
The two ends od a bow, shot off, fly from one another.
Shoot
To strike with anything shot; to hit with a missile; often, to kill or wound with a firearm; - followed by a word denoting the person or thing hit, as an object.
When Roger shot the hawk hovering over his master's dove house.
Shoot
To send out or forth, especially with a rapid or sudden motion; to cast with the hand; to hurl; to discharge; to emit.
An honest weaver as ever shot shuttle.
A pit into which the dead carts had nightly shot corpses by scores.
Shoot
To push or thrust forward; to project; to protrude; - often with out; as, a plant shoots out a bud.
They shoot out the lip, they shake the head.
Beware the secret snake that shoots a sting.
Shoot
To plane straight; to fit by planing.
Two pieces of wood that are shot, that is, planed or else pared with a paring chisel.
Shoot
To pass rapidly through, over, or under; as, to shoot a rapid or a bridge; to shoot a sand bar.
She . . . shoots the Stygian sound.
Shoot
To variegate as if by sprinkling or intermingling; to color in spots or patches.
The tangled water courses slept,Shot over with purple, and green, and yellow.
Shoot
To cause an engine or weapon to discharge a missile; - said of a person or an agent; as, they shot at a target; he shoots better than he rides.
The archers have . . . shot at him.
Shoot
To discharge a missile; - said of an engine or instrument; as, the gun shoots well.
Shoot
To be shot or propelled forcibly; - said of a missile; to be emitted or driven; to move or extend swiftly, as if propelled; as, a shooting star.
There shot a streaming lamp along the sky.
Shoot
To penetrate, as a missile; to dart with a piercing sensation; as, shooting pains.
Thy words shoot through my heart.
Shoot
To feel a quick, darting pain; to throb in pain.
These preachers makeHis head to shoot and ache.
Shoot
To germinate; to bud; to sprout.
Onions, as they hang, will shoot forth.
But the wild olive shoots, and shades the ungrateful plain.
Shoot
To grow; to advance; as, to shoot up rapidly.
Well shot in years he seemed.
Delightful task! to rear the tender thought,To teach the young idea how to shoot.
Shoot
To change form suddenly; especially, to solidify.
If the menstruum be overcharged, metals will shoot into crystals.
Shoot
To protrude; to jut; to project; to extend; as, the land shoots into a promontory.
There shot up against the dark sky, tall, gaunt, straggling houses.
Shoot
To move ahead by force of momentum, as a sailing vessel when the helm is put hard alee.
Shoot
A new branch
Shoot
The act of shooting at targets;
They hold a shoot every weekend during the summer
Shoot
Hit with a missile from a weapon
Shoot
Kill by firing a missile
Shoot
Fire a shot
Shoot
Make a film or photograph of something;
Take a scene
Shoot a movie
Shoot
Send forth suddenly, intensely, swiftly;
Shoot a glance
Shoot
Run or move very quickly or hastily;
She dashed into the yard
Shoot
Move quickly and violently;
The car tore down the street
He came charging into my office
Shoot
Throw or propel in a specific direction or towards a specific objective;
Shoot craps
Shoot a golf ball
Shoot
Record on photographic film;
I photographed the scene of the accident
She snapped a picture of the President
Shoot
Emit (as light, flame, or fumes) suddenly and forcefully;
The dragon shot fumes and flames out of its mouth
Shoot
Cause a sharp and sudden pain in;
The pain shot up her leg
Shoot
Force or drive (a fluid or gas) into by piercing;
Inject hydrogen into the balloon
Shoot
Variegate by interweaving weft threads of different colors;
Shoot cloth
Shoot
Throw dice, as in a crap game
Shoot
Spend frivolously and unwisely;
Fritter away one's inheritance
Shoot
Score;
Shoot a basket
Shoot a goal
Shoot
Utter fast and forcefully;
She shot back an answer
Shoot
Measure the altitude of by using a sextant;
Shoot a star
Shoot
Produce buds, branches, or germinate;
The potatoes sprouted
Shoot
Give an injection to;
We injected the glucose into the patient's vein
Shoot
Photography.
She will shoot the wedding this weekend.
Shoot
Film.
He plans to shoot the first scene tomorrow.
Shoot
New growth.
New shoots appeared on the plant in spring.
Common Curiosities
Does hustle apply to sports?
Yes, hustle in sports means playing energetically and aggressively.
Can shoot be used to describe photography?
Yes, shoot is commonly used to mean taking photographs.
What does hustle mean in business?
In business, hustle refers to working hard and taking initiative.
What does it mean to shoot a film?
To shoot a film means to capture the movie on camera.
How does shoot relate to growth?
In botany, a shoot refers to the new growth from a plant.
Can hustle be a noun?
Yes, a hustle can refer to a job or task, often a side job.
What's a side hustle?
A side hustle is a job or activity done in addition to one's main job, often to earn extra money.
Is hustle always related to swindling?
No, hustle often means to work energetically without any negative connotation.
Can "shoot" be an imperative command?
Yes, as in telling someone to take a picture or to start speaking.
Does "shoot" have a slang meaning?
Yes, "shoot" can be slang for telling someone to go ahead or to express disbelief.
Is hustling culturally viewed positively?
It can be, especially in contexts that value hard work and ambition.
Is shooting always violent?
No, shooting can refer to non-violent actions like photography.
How can someone hustle without being unethical?
By working hard and smartly, using time and resources effectively.
What kind of verb is hustle?
Hustle can be both transitive and intransitive.
What does shoot the breeze mean?
It means to have a casual conversation.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
