Ghost Hustling-the act of working hard on something no one else notices, leading to little or no recognition. Ghost hustling is also the unseen labor of people still pushing for visibility and truth in environments where their language—and by extension, their work is being strategically erased.
Policy & Bureaucratic Silencing
The current climate has banned specific terms in documents and communications. This can be viewed as ghost hustling language—words are removed behind the scenes, often without public acknowledgment. Affected researchers, agencies, advocates continue their work with limited recognition or visibility. The reported banning of diversity, equity, and inclusion can be framed as ghost hustling: these concepts still exist and are being discussed, but in a way that lacks institutional support or visibility.
Cultural & Political Reframing
Subtle language shifts in public discourse—replacing words like refugee with illegal migrant, or gender equality with family values—is ghost hustling. Advocates & policymakers continue work but the terminology they use to gain legitimacy or funding is erased or altered.
Media & Public Perception
Not officially banning words but making their use politically risky (categorizing terms as "woke" or "unpatriotic"), ghost hustles language out of public discourse. The act shifts censorship to individuals and organizations in ways that aren’t explicitly mandated but are quite impactful.
Policy & Bureaucratic Silencing
The current climate has banned specific terms in documents and communications. This can be viewed as ghost hustling language—words are removed behind the scenes, often without public acknowledgment. Affected researchers, agencies, advocates continue their work with limited recognition or visibility. The reported banning of diversity, equity, and inclusion can be framed as ghost hustling: these concepts still exist and are being discussed, but in a way that lacks institutional support or visibility.
Cultural & Political Reframing
Subtle language shifts in public discourse—replacing words like refugee with illegal migrant, or gender equality with family values—is ghost hustling. Advocates & policymakers continue work but the terminology they use to gain legitimacy or funding is erased or altered.
Media & Public Perception
Not officially banning words but making their use politically risky (categorizing terms as "woke" or "unpatriotic"), ghost hustles language out of public discourse. The act shifts censorship to individuals and organizations in ways that aren’t explicitly mandated but are quite impactful.
Ex. I've been ghost hustling at this job for months.
Ex. Ghost hustling never gets you the credit you deserve.
Ex. Policy Silencing
Climate scientists are ghost hustling in this new political climate, still conducting vital research even as terms like ‘climate change’ quietly disappear from official reports.
Cultural and Political Reframing
By replacing ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ with terms like ‘merit-based hiring,’ policymakers are ghost hustling an entire movement out of the public conversation.
Media and Public Perception
Journalists covering issues of systemic racism are ghost hustling their narratives into mainstream media, skillfully avoiding banned buzzwords to keep their work from being dismissed as ‘too political.’
Ex. Ghost hustling never gets you the credit you deserve.
Ex. Policy Silencing
Climate scientists are ghost hustling in this new political climate, still conducting vital research even as terms like ‘climate change’ quietly disappear from official reports.
Cultural and Political Reframing
By replacing ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ with terms like ‘merit-based hiring,’ policymakers are ghost hustling an entire movement out of the public conversation.
Media and Public Perception
Journalists covering issues of systemic racism are ghost hustling their narratives into mainstream media, skillfully avoiding banned buzzwords to keep their work from being dismissed as ‘too political.’
by Big Less 64 March 12, 2025
Get the Ghost Hustlingmug. Someone who has to poop in a public restroom, but they are embarrassed so they sit silently in their stall until you leave.
by FreshCiggy September 14, 2022
Get the Ghost poopermug. by JustinLongfellow March 31, 2023
Get the Ghostingmug. Noun: An invisible entity that tangles, ties, and knots wired items to themselves or other nearby cords when owner is not looking or not around, it exists only to annoy and frustrate its victims.
Common haunts include, but are not limited to; headphones, extension cords, surge protector plugins, or any wired items dwelling near computers or television sets.
Said to be related to the Hose Kinking Phantom
Common haunts include, but are not limited to; headphones, extension cords, surge protector plugins, or any wired items dwelling near computers or television sets.
Said to be related to the Hose Kinking Phantom
*Tug*Tug*
..Why are my headphones so short..
*Tug*
..They're tied to my keyboard cord!
DAMNN YOU CORD GHOST!!!
..Why are my headphones so short..
*Tug*
..They're tied to my keyboard cord!
DAMNN YOU CORD GHOST!!!
by JayWalk45 April 10, 2010
Get the Cord Ghostmug. Fred: "Hey, remember that guy Jacob?"
Jimbob: "Yeah, vaguely. What ever happened to him?"
Fred: "No idea, he disappeared a while ago but his bitch ass sent me a ghost request to pick him up from the airport. I haven't talked to him in years lol"
Jimbob: "Yeah, vaguely. What ever happened to him?"
Fred: "No idea, he disappeared a while ago but his bitch ass sent me a ghost request to pick him up from the airport. I haven't talked to him in years lol"
by loqubs March 6, 2018
Get the ghost requestmug. Read Receipt Ghost (pronounced: reed ree-SEET gohst)
noun, informal
1. A person who has deliberately turned off read receipts in a messaging application, making it impossible for the sender to know whether the message has been read, thereby creating an air of uncertainty. A technique often employed by those who are: habitual liars, privacy ‘enthusiasts’, and/or those who only use people for selfish purposes while ghosting (in an unprovable way) the rest of the time.
Pronunciation: /ri d rɪˈsi t goʊst/
noun, informal
1. A person who has deliberately turned off read receipts in a messaging application, making it impossible for the sender to know whether the message has been read, thereby creating an air of uncertainty. A technique often employed by those who are: habitual liars, privacy ‘enthusiasts’, and/or those who only use people for selfish purposes while ghosting (in an unprovable way) the rest of the time.
Pronunciation: /ri d rɪˈsi t goʊst/
“I’ve been messaging him for days and either he turned off his read receipts or he’s not seen my messages; he’s a read receipt ghost.”
“Dude only texts me when he wants something, when I text, nothing. Dudes’ got read receipts turned off and says “I didn’t see your messages””
“I’ve noticed you’re a read receipt ghost, mind turning on your read receipts for me?”
“Dude only texts me when he wants something, when I text, nothing. Dudes’ got read receipts turned off and says “I didn’t see your messages””
“I’ve noticed you’re a read receipt ghost, mind turning on your read receipts for me?”
by English is evolving October 28, 2023
Get the Read Receipt Ghostmug.