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
Relevance
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
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 scrums
The media scrums around each player reflected their importance, with constant jostling for the right positioning of microphones and cameras.
—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2026
Rebounding was a recurring problem, leading to chaotic scrums in front of the net.
—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
Those in the organization who spoke with The Athletic over the phone and in media scrums Tuesday spoke of two important psychological traits, and two important offensive characteristics.
—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
No awkward scrums with the media grilling him about a slump Saturday morning ahead of Game 3 of this second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena.
—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
The game featured several scrums after the whistle, a spirited fight between Montreal’s Josh Anderson and Tampa Bay’s Declan Carlile, and seven 10-minute misconducts — culminating in 126 penalty minutes.
—
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Lawmakers have cycled through classified briefings, TV interviews and hallway scrums with reporters, but have taken little formal action related to Trump’s war efforts — just two unsuccessful votes aimed at limiting the conflict.
—
Ana Ceballos
follow,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
The heat turned up in the second, with a few post-whistle scrums, then a full-on fight between Wild defenseman Jake Middleton and Knights winger Keegan Kolesar that earned each of them a five-minute timeout.
—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
7 Mar. 2026
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
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2026
Rebounding was a recurring problem, leading to chaotic scrums in front of the net.
—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
Those in the organization who spoke with The Athletic over the phone and in media scrums Tuesday spoke of two important psychological traits, and two important offensive characteristics.
—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
No awkward scrums with the media grilling him about a slump Saturday morning ahead of Game 3 of this second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena.
—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
The game featured several scrums after the whistle, a spirited fight between Montreal’s Josh Anderson and Tampa Bay’s Declan Carlile, and seven 10-minute misconducts — culminating in 126 penalty minutes.
—
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Lawmakers have cycled through classified briefings, TV interviews and hallway scrums with reporters, but have taken little formal action related to Trump’s war efforts — just two unsuccessful votes aimed at limiting the conflict.
—
Ana Ceballos
follow,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
The heat turned up in the second, with a few post-whistle scrums, then a full-on fight between Wild defenseman Jake Middleton and Knights winger Keegan Kolesar that earned each of them a five-minute timeout.
—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
7 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrums
Noun
-
Canal Saint Martin in Paris drew throngs Sunday splashing and diving off a bridge, despite authorities’ attempts to control the crowds.
-
Canal Saint Martin in Paris drew throngs Sunday splashing and diving off a bridge, despite authorities' attempts to control the crowds.
Noun
-
While the war ended years before, the hostility spread from the stands — with skirmishes among supporters — into the field, when Maradona tricked the referee and the world with the World Cup’s most infamous goal, punching the ball into the net with his fist above England’s goalie Peter Shilton.
-
Continue reading … — Two arrested as skirmishes erupt outside courthouse after Karmelo Anthony verdict.
Noun
-
Indeed, some of our oligarchs actually own the circuses.
-
Exotic animals were not typically a feature of carnivals; circuses, yes, but not carnivals.
Noun
-
There are anecdotal cases of seismic swarms before a large rupture that, in hindsight, could have provided some clues to possibly detect early signs of future large ruptures.
-
But for some reason the powers that be have decreed artificial intelligence a civilizational imperative, requiring the hurried construction of swarms of data centers, on Earth and in space.
Noun
-
Social interactions may stir up complicated feelings when the Libra moon clashes with Mercury.
-
Enter Maddie’s Secret, Early’s directorial debut, which follows a chef at GourMaybe Test Kitchen whose rising place in the food-influencer world clashes with her lifelong struggle with bulimia.
Noun
-
Member's Mark Premium Baby Wipes Big messes are no problem for Member’s Mark Premium Baby Wipes, which come packaged in 12 press-open lid packs of 96 wipes each.
-
Don't Put it Down, Put it Away There are kitchen messes that are pretty unavoidable and just come with the territory of cooking, like crumbs and sticky surfaces.
Noun
-
For the avid gardener in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, stepping out the front door in the summer meant being assaulted by hordes of those flying hypodermic needles, ready to bore into her skin and leave itchy welts – and sometimes serious infections like malaria or Zika – behind.
-
Kai Cenat's Streamer University program went awry after hordes of people crowded an audition site in Atlanta, Georgia, leading to several arrests, according to police.
Noun
-
Skoog said he was honored to receive Sayers’ endorsement, saying mayors are focused on delivering results rather than engaging in political fights.
-
For five months, sentiment ran consistently negative, dragged down by trade disputes, NATO burden-sharing fights and the general friction between Washington and European capitals.
Cite this Entry
“Scrums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrums. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
