scrum

noun

ˈskrəm How to pronounce scrum (audio)
Definition of scrumnext
1
as in throng
a great number of persons or creatures massed together I had to fight my way through the scrum of holiday shoppers at the mall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups when the server spilled a drink on a customer, they got into a bit of a scrum before being separated

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bedlam
British a place of uproar or confusion London's tube is quite a scrum during rush hour

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scrum And my parents were there and then you immediately get thrown into the press conference into the scrum with Tony Khan, which is exciting. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, on the neighboring field, Purdy had finished his initial reps by the time the 49ers’ offense, particularly guards Robert Jones and Dominick Puni, got into a scrum with the Titans. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 The late strike capped a chippy match that featured seven yellow cards, a red card and a brief scrum in stoppage time that saw one Madison player lose his jersey. — Idaho Statesman, 9 Aug. 2026 Whether or not the music has merit, an artist must contend with the myriad corporate forces that have the power to pick and choose what breaks through the online scrum, and what doesn’t. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrum
  1. throng
  2. skirmish
  3. bedlam
  4. crowd
  5. clash
  6. madhouse
  7. swarm
  8. battle
Noun
  • The cows made their way to the altar — with the handlers helping to guide them with hay — through throngs of people and a few mascots sitting in seats and lined up on the streets, who stopped by just to see the unique occasion.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Officers also described the throng of parents searching for children and spouses who worked at the school, including a woman who said her husband had grabbed their child and hidden near an ice machine in the basement of the church.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of throng
Noun
  • There was a brief skirmish in the end zone after Howell's 2-point conversion run.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Its outcome will be a major milestone in the decades-long political skirmishes over CEQA.
    — Dan Walters, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of skirmish
Noun
  • Against this bedlam, Rhaenyra tries to fashion herself a real queen.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • The scene around me was one of utter bedlam, with stadium officials even joining in the celebrations.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
Definition of bedlam
Noun
  • Hvar banned its circuit of thumping DJ parties in 2024 in an effort to rebrand itself, but August’s high tourist season in Hvar Town still draws heavy crowds.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
  • So too the buzz around the event last year and this, with first-round matches in 2025 attracting large and engrossed crowds.
    — James Hansen, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of crowd
Noun
  • Assertive Mars clashes with your ruler Saturn, highlighting tension around your home, family, or the amount of emotional labor each person carries.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The clash between Ossoff and Piker comes as members of the Jewish community in Atlanta have criticized the Jewish Democrat, largely over his votes to block certain arms sales to Israel.
    — Joseph Strauss, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of clash
Noun
  • Whereas this evening in the Spanish Gothic madhouse of the United Theater, most every song from Melanie’s Hadean pageant is received with near word-perfect communalism.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 July 2026
  • Headphones are often my saving grace in this madhouse.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of madhouse
Noun
  • The growth of agentic AI and the rise of cyber hacks orchestrated by agents are forcing companies to invest in more tools to manage swarms of new identities.
    — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • This phrase is a complicated way of simply acknowledging the fact that Pluto sits within the Kuiper Belt, a vast swarm of bodies that go around the sun in similar orbits beyond Neptune.
    — Mike Brown, Scientific American, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of swarm
Noun
  • The only intrigue at offensive line was the backup center battle between Hudson and Patrick.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Naturally, with three more Salt Lake City wives at the Alter Ego Party, Gizelle is ready to further investigate why Lisa is in a battle with her whole cast.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of battle

Browse Nearby Words

scruffy
scrum
scrumptious
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Cite this Entry

“Scrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrum. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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