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 of scrum

• throng
• crowd
• swarm
• flock
• horde
• mob

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

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

Rhaena flees the four-way dragon scrum on foot only to be dragged back by her uncle. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was seen walking out of the dugout with pace to clearly say something to the other side, and that sparked the scrum near the dish. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Still, watching Warner and Greenlaw tag-team a scrum wasn’t a surprise. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 31 July 2026

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