scrum

noun

ˈskrəm 

1

a

or scrummage

ˈskrə-mij 

: 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

b

: a usually brief and disorderly struggle or fight : scrape, scuffle

2

a

British : madhouse sense 2

b

: a usually tightly packed or disorderly crowd : throng

scrummage intransitive verb

Synonyms

• army
• bike [chiefly Scottish]
• cram
• crowd
• crush
• drove
• flock
• herd
• horde
• host
• legion
• mass
• mob
• multitude
• press
• rout
• swarm
• throng

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

The Packers have been among several teams voicing their distaste for the evolution of the traditional quarterback sneak into an all-out scrum. —Dave Campbell, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025

Hundreds of players from neighboring hamlets would separate into two teams, lock themselves into an enormous scrum and struggle blindly for control of a circular object, often an inflated pig’s bladder. —Franz Lidz, New York Times, 21 May 2025

At a glance, the Preakness seems to be that somewhat less daunting contest relative to the Kentucky Derby’s larger-than-life rugby scrum and to the Belmont Stakes’ flat racing approximation of marathon. —Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

Now, Barkov was hit in a manner that started an end-of-game scrum. —Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 12 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

short for scrummage, alteration of scrimmage

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for scrum

• bum
• chum
• come
• crum
• cum
• drum
• dum
• dumb
• from
• frum
• glum
• gum