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
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Recent Examples of scrums
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrums
Noun
-
Friday’s watch party attracted throngs of revelers to MSG, but also brought some chaos to Midtown, with 26 people arrested for a variety of offenses, from assault to selling counterfeit merchandise to climbing on top of light poles, food vendor carts and subway entrances.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
7 June 2026
-
All the while, Upper West Side locals walked their little white dogs and hauled Fairway groceries past the throngs, looking confused.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
One of those skirmishes, in fact, involved Childress himself, in 2011 at Kansas Speedway, when the then-65-year-old car owner for an opposing team got into a physical altercation with Busch after an on-track incident.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2026
-
Inconspicuous blows against Denver escalated to skirmishes.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Exotic animals were not typically a feature of carnivals; circuses, yes, but not carnivals.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
In terms of performances and safety, the Triton Troupers Circus is like other circuses.—
Myrna Petlicki,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With the front line barely moving as swarms of drones hinder advances, both sides have sought an edge by launching long-range strikes.—
Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
With the front line barely moving as swarms of drones hinder advances, both sides have sought an edge by launching long-range strikes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
And intense clashes at a New Jersey immigration center about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from where the World Cup final will be held are a reminder of the tests facing the White House.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
Slovenia’s Soča Valley carries World War I history — a museum in Kobarid covers the clashes between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces — while Grossglockner, Austria’s highest peak, offers turquoise lakes at the glacier’s edge.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Keep Vegetables Crisp A great example of uses for paper towels beyond cleaning messes is wrapping the disposable sheets around vegetables to keep them fresh and crisp in the refrigerator.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
-
Boys are explorers at heart and often learn through play, making messes and adventures part of the journey.—
Bonnie Gibbs Vengrow,
Parents,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The venue only seats 2,600, so hordes of fans queued up for the standby list in Riverside Park before parking themselves behind bullpens.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
The streets of Soho are quiet in comparison to the hordes of shoppers on Regent Street.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Unlike so many iconic American fights, held in the halls of Congress or on the streets of major cities, this campaign is being waged for the most part in obscurity.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
-
This year, the event was more spread out in downtown Lee’s Summit, with the fights concentrated in the entrance to the festival area.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scrums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrums. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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