scrum

noun

ˈskrəm 

1

a

or scrummage

ˈskrə-mij 

: a rugby play in which the forwards of each side come together in a tight formation and struggle to gain possession of the ball using their feet when it is tossed in among them

also : the arrangement of players in a scrum

b

: a usually brief and disorderly struggle or fight : scrape, scuffle

2

a

British : madhouse sense 2

b

: a usually tightly packed or disorderly crowd : throng

scrummage intransitive verb

Synonyms

• army
• bike [chiefly Scottish]
• cram
• crowd
• crush
• drove
• flock
• herd
• horde
• host
• legion
• mass
• mob
• multitude
• press
• rout
• swarm
• throng

Examples of scrum in a Sentence

I had to fight my way through the scrum of holiday shoppers at the mall.

when the server spilled a drink on a customer, they got into a bit of a scrum before being separated

Recent Examples on the Web

So every year, there’s both a scrum and hurt feelings. —Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025

Seattle scored on a scrum as time expired — an outcome that had to be confirmed by the official’s video review — and the Legion have lost two straight heading into a crucial match Friday night in Miami. —Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2025

The vehicle then sped up and veered from right to left across the street, another video showed, knocking people to the ground and causing a frenzied scrum before coming to a stop. —Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 27 May 2025

Slow Horses was nominated last year and stands tall among the scrum of spy shows. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 24 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

short for scrummage, alteration of scrimmage

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for scrum

• bum
• chum
• come
• crum
• cum
• drum
• dum
• dumb
• from
• frum
• glum
• gum