scrum

noun

ˈskrəm How to pronounce scrum (audio)
Definition of scrumnext
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

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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

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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 Williams expressed a similar position during a May 19 media scrum, before clip resurfaced and spread widely in August. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 My arm is sore from holding my phone at arm’s length for 10 minutes during the media scrum after the show. — Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 Breaking work into small pieces and running it through scrums and sprints was how teams offset the sheer cost of human coding hours. — Tim Lee, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 That Missouri man entered into a scrum at the line of scrimmage. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrum
  1. throng
  2. skirmish
  3. bedlam
  4. crowd
  5. clash
  6. madhouse
  7. swarm
  8. battle
Noun
  • As for the happy throng of guests, the dress code was wide open to interpretation, from paillettes to pink marabou.
    — Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Outside, a throng of revelers were waiting to navigate the same journey as Williams, McRae, and their respective entourages.
    — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of throng
Noun
  • Interior Secretary Harold Ickes ended the skirmish by imposing a truce and persuading Congress to designate the dam as a federal project.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • And then late in the second half, Miami was called for two 15-yard penalties following a punt with Bobby Pruitt called for a facemask and Keona Davis a personal foul that occurred during a skirmish after the play.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of skirmish
Noun
  • There wasn’t quite as much Phillies bedlam in Georgia on Wednesday.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • But this is preposterous, this is insanity, this is the very essence of bedlam.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of bedlam
Noun
  • Nugent has been in police custody since shortly after Haines was injured and a crowd of bystanders subdued him.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Suspect to face court on Wednesday Nugent has been in police custody since shortly after Haines was injured and a crowd of bystanders subdued him.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of crowd
Noun
  • But any Republican looking for the nomination to succeed Trump will have to sidestep the same sort of internal clashes over Israel that have bedeviled Democrats.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In Spain, the unrest was largely concentrated in Barcelona, unlike France, where protests and clashes spread across multiple cities.
    — Amanda Macias, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of clash
Noun
  • Whereas this evening in the Spanish Gothic madhouse of the United Theater, most every song from Melanie’s Hadean pageant is received with near word-perfect communalism.
    — Matt Thompson, SPIN, 13 July 2026
  • Headphones are often my saving grace in this madhouse.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of madhouse
Noun
  • There are a swarm of startups looking to use the technology to transform entertainment, but Anthropic, unlike SpaceX and OpenAI, has never spent resources on video or image models.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In the early eighteenth century, the village of Gais started attracting swarms of visitors, many from abroad, who wanted to sample Gaisschottenkur, a treatment featuring goat’s whey.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of swarm
Noun
  • The leader, facing a tough re-election battle, has focused much of his campaign ahead of Tuesday’s vote on security.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026
  • By focusing on the battles fought in luxury department stores, fashion shows, high-end spas, nail salons, and the home, the film illustrated just how limited even privileged women’s options were.
    — Raymond Ang, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of battle

Browse Nearby Words

scruffy
scrum
scrumptious
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Cite this Entry

“Scrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrum. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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