1
a
or scrummage
: a rugby play in which the forwards of each side come together in a tight formation and struggle to gain possession of the ball using their feet when it is tossed in among them
also
: the arrangement of players in a scrum
2
a
British
: madhouse sense 2
b
: a usually tightly packed or disorderly crowd : throng
scrummage
intransitive verb
Synonyms
Examples of scrum in a Sentence
I had to fight my way through the scrum of holiday shoppers at the mall.
when the server spilled a drink on a customer, they got into a bit of a scrum before being separated
Recent Examples on the Web
In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a thousand people waited for as many as eight hours outside a Zayre discount store; in the scrum that eventually erupted, one woman suffered a broken leg, and the store manager resorted to defending himself with a baseball bat.
—
Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
Perhaps that’s the point, for things get more interesting in the wordless scrum that follows.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
His attack amplification tricks and bot infection tools had established him as a kind of Hack Forums alpha, an unmistakable standout in the scrum.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 14 Nov. 2023
Prince William is in France — and ready to watch a few scrums with his son!
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 14 Oct. 2023
McDaniel’s small, noisy scrum of backers sat nearby.
—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
Yet, during a 12 1/2-minute scrum with the media, Trout showed brief flashes of hope.
—Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2023
Oakland added a consolation strike in the 83rd minute after a scrum in front of the net, but by then the celebration was on.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2023
And suddenly, during his pregame media scrum hours before first pitch, manager Dave Roberts was contemplating Lynn’s potential role on the playoff roster, leaving open the possibility for the veteran to either start games or pitch bulk innings out of the bullpen.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
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Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023
Perhaps that’s the point, for things get more interesting in the wordless scrum that follows.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
His attack amplification tricks and bot infection tools had established him as a kind of Hack Forums alpha, an unmistakable standout in the scrum.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 14 Nov. 2023
Prince William is in France — and ready to watch a few scrums with his son!
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 14 Oct. 2023
McDaniel’s small, noisy scrum of backers sat nearby.
—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023
Yet, during a 12 1/2-minute scrum with the media, Trout showed brief flashes of hope.
—Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2023
Oakland added a consolation strike in the 83rd minute after a scrum in front of the net, but by then the celebration was on.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2023
And suddenly, during his pregame media scrum hours before first pitch, manager Dave Roberts was contemplating Lynn’s potential role on the playoff roster, leaving open the possibility for the veteran to either start games or pitch bulk innings out of the bullpen.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scrum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
short for scrummage, alteration of scrimmage
First Known Use
1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Articles Related to scrum
Dictionary Entries Near scrum
Cite this Entry
“Scrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrum. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
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