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
Relevance
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
The event, long held at New York’s Carnegie Hall when it was backed by CBS, was viewed as a bellwether for the event, which kicks off an annual scrum to sell billions in TV ad time ahead of the networks’ next cycle of programming.
—
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
Amid a scrum in the penalty area, Joel Waterman’s shot caromed off the chest of Turgeman, who inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net.
—Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
Branch and Smith-Schuster were at the center of a scrum following the Chiefs’ 30-17 win over the Lions on Sunday, and Franklin was all for it.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
As the scrum disperses, D’Angelo turns to you and slaps you five.
—Touré, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrum
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
Amid a scrum in the penalty area, Joel Waterman’s shot caromed off the chest of Turgeman, who inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net.
—Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
Branch and Smith-Schuster were at the center of a scrum following the Chiefs’ 30-17 win over the Lions on Sunday, and Franklin was all for it.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
As the scrum disperses, D’Angelo turns to you and slaps you five.
—Touré, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrum
Noun
-
As the day wears on, the crowd swells to a formidable throng.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Videos from Isfahan, Arak, and other cities show throngs of hijab-less women outdoors.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
David Wolf, the executive director of the Legacy of the Plains Museum in Scottsbluff, said experts estimate that as many 10 people died for every mile of the trail ‒ perhaps as many as 20,000 travelers, plus an unknown number of Native Americans killed during skirmishes.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The skirmish brought players from both teams out of the dugouts and out of the bullpens.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Just as much bedlam erupted here at Weird and Wild World HQ.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Their journey to the Comiskey concert was typical of the bedlam that accompanied their performances.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Davidson led for nearly 39 minutes of action, answering each Charlotte comeback attempt run with a flurry of its own, quieting a Halton Arena crowd of 3,712.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Nov. 2025
-
Later Punch would finally ignite the Schollmaier Arena crowd with a one-handed slam dunk in transition.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Much of this strife, including throughout the 1967-1970 civil war and subsequent clashes over the decades, has also been closely tied to feuds across ethnic and territorial lines.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Pfizer and Novo Nordisk are in a takeover clash over the obesity biotech Metsera, with both pharmaceutical giants raising their bids for the startup as of Monday.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Bertha Coombs,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
And for at least one night, 19,124 at Xfinity Mobile Arena turned the building into a madhouse, largely because the Sixers have done just that.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Instead of the orgiastic madhouse that fans of Monster and American Horror Story have grown accustomed to, Devil in Disguise is a somber affair, as aesthetically chilly as a December in Des Plaines, Illinois.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Lateef dealt with a swarm of attention last week after 22-game starter Dylan Raiola, the sophomore former five-star prospect, suffered a broken fibula in the second half of a 21-17 loss against USC.—
Mitch Sherman,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Apparently, some chemical the art department used for finishing touches on the set ended up attracting a swarm of wasps overnight, which no one noticed until the morning we were set to shoot there.—
Mike Miller,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The Davidson Wildcats’ men’s basketball team hunted the three-ball early and often in the 40th edition of the battle for the Hornets’ Nest, connecting frequently on the way to a 62-55 victory over the Charlotte 49ers on Tuesday night.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Nov. 2025
-
In a battle of NFC behemoths, the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles (7-2) escaped Green Bay with a 10-7 win.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrum. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share