1
as in throngs
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
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2
as in skirmishes
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 madhouses
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
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Recent Examples of scrums
Not just tall, the physical trio of defensive midfielder Tverskov (6-1,183 pounds), defender Chris McVey (6-3 ½ , 181 pounds) and forward Marcus Ingvartsen (6-1 ½, 168 pounds) can thrive in scrums.
—
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Despite that, Concepcion always embraced his time in media scrums, shook everyone's hand before and after and showed confidence while doing so.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
There were no scrums, barely any big hits and absolute zero sense of disdain from one bench to the other.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
And while this particular standoff has been unusually drawn out, the sticking points wouldn’t be unfamiliar to anyone who’s participated in one of the hundreds of similar scrums that have taken place since the dawn of the cable bundle.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 14 Nov. 2025
The incident sparked multiple scrums across the ice.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2025
Capitol hallways have become an endless series of partisan scrums and press conferences where the two sides play the blame game, occasionally to each others’ faces on camera in impromptu scuffles.
—Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Despite that, Concepcion always embraced his time in media scrums, shook everyone's hand before and after and showed confidence while doing so.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026
There were no scrums, barely any big hits and absolute zero sense of disdain from one bench to the other.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
And while this particular standoff has been unusually drawn out, the sticking points wouldn’t be unfamiliar to anyone who’s participated in one of the hundreds of similar scrums that have taken place since the dawn of the cable bundle.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 14 Nov. 2025
The incident sparked multiple scrums across the ice.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2025
Capitol hallways have become an endless series of partisan scrums and press conferences where the two sides play the blame game, occasionally to each others’ faces on camera in impromptu scuffles.
—Steven T. Dennis, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrums
Noun
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The monks captivated much of the country and even world, drawing throngs of supporters in cities from across the trek with their simple message of peace, compassion and unity.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The 59-year-old grumbled that gladhanding throngs of supporters in dusty villages had left him prey to bugs and viruses.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And while his 11 years with the Yankees were often marked with verbal skirmishes with George Steinbrenner, in 1982 the Boss showed his respect for Nettles’ baseball acumen and quiet clubhouse leadership to name him the first Yankee captain since Thurman Munson’s death in 1979.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
These were not skirmishes but full-scale conflicts, usually costing tens—sometimes hundreds—of thousands of lives.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The design can scale to larger swarms.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Bodies were found throughout the building, some stacked on top of one another, with swarms of bugs and decomposition fluid covering the floors, investigators said.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Elizabeth was principled and compassionate while Jessica was carefree, outgoing and manipulative, and their clashes and crushes became a welcome distraction.—
Faith Karimi,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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In central states, climate change has sharpened competition over land and water, intensifying clashes between farmers and herders.—
Yusuf Tuggar,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Expect hordes of people on weekends during prime daytime hours, and likely a short to moderate wait around noon even on weekdays.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Each booth offered a brief refuge from the hordes moving steadily through the aisles.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That set off a flurry of court briefs, legal fights and public protests calling for Torres’s release.—
Gregory Royal Pratt,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The dominant force in big tech has shifted from online censorship fights, which sharpened questions about platforms’ size and reach, to AI urgency, where the industry and the White House are more aligned.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The idea of a 10% rate cap has all the seriousness of bread-and-circuses governance.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Coaches don’t like media circuses, but Jones can’t wean himself off the attention.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Bird flocks have been on the rebound after last year’s avian flu outbreak, but that has farmers suddenly selling at a loss.—
Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
But the most eye-catching elements are the flocks of colored blobby shapes that appear to dart back and forth across their surfaces, like jellyfish swimming back and forth.—
Benjamin Lima,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scrums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrums. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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