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
Venture capitalists have written large checks to a scrum of startups to find new ways to apply artificial intelligence to just about everything.
—
Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
The Packers, who lost to the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs last season, have been among several teams voicing their distaste for the evolution of the traditional quarterback sneak into an all-out scrum.
—Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
The media scrum was so intense that consular officials could be overheard threatening to cancel the briefing if journalists didn’t calm down.
—Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 15 May 2025
So every year, there’s both a scrum and hurt feelings.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrum
Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
The Packers, who lost to the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs last season, have been among several teams voicing their distaste for the evolution of the traditional quarterback sneak into an all-out scrum.
—Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025
The media scrum was so intense that consular officials could be overheard threatening to cancel the briefing if journalists didn’t calm down.
—Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 15 May 2025
So every year, there’s both a scrum and hurt feelings.
—Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for scrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrum
Noun
-
Two National Guard members were stationed outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, surrounded by a throng of reporters surveying the graffiti and aftermath of Tuesday night’s protest.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
-
As European cities grapple with overtourism, many have implemented tax hikes on tourists in an effort to curb the throngs of visitors.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
The protests were substantially peaceful, although small skirmishes resulting in arrests, damage to property and injuries broke out when police tried to disperse the crowd with rubber bullets and tear gas.—
Megan Schrader,
Denver Post,
22 June 2025
-
The Fever emerged with an 88-71 win after a game that featured a pair of skirmishes, including a fight in the final minute that led to three ejections.—
Chuck Schilken,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
The bedlam accompanying the group’s distribution practices, aid workers say, was entirely predictable.—
Bilal Shbeir,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
-
Hand 103, Bethel, 102 ½. There was bedlam, Hand kids screaming and jumping and yelling and hugging each other.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
Just jump on a return train for a few minutes back to Rougemont and a world devoid of the larger international crowds that descend upon swanky Gstaad just a few miles up the road.—
John Oseid,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
The Brat star drew one of the weekend’s biggest crowds for her set on the festival’s second-biggest stage; The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo were booked for Pyramid, while Loyle Carner and The Prodigy joined her on the Other.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
In many ways, the game might offer a blueprint for the quarterfinal clash against Paris Saint-Germain.—
Manuel Veth,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
-
The stage would seem to be set for another of the Capitol’s periodic work comp clashes.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
The madhouse of awards season and all its many, many controversies — not to mention an ongoing parade of natural and man-made disasters — has until now perhaps overshadowed some of the year’s lower-stakes joys.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2025
-
But things move fast in the Goodison madhouse.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
The Athletic,
9 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The swarm to support his latest move marked the latest bit of whiplash across the MAGA ranks as they have been divided since the Saturday strikes.—
Al Weaver,
The Hill,
25 June 2025
-
In another, a suspect was tackled to the pavement near a bench as a swarm of police closed in around him.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
That same month, Adams withdrew his candidacy for the Democratic primary, saying the legal battle had prevented him from effectively campaigning.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
25 June 2025
-
While the legal battle is ongoing, the judge's ruling is an early win for the states and a setback for the Trump administration.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrum. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share