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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 Pat Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority, declined to jump into the OHSU union-management scrum. 
oregonlive, 3 Sep. 2022 While that was happening, more fighting broke out around the scrum. Mark Daniels, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2022 When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Kaiser jumped right into the scrum. Steven Zeitchik, Washington Post, 2 July 2022 The Olympics are the Olympics because the whole world is invited—at least the best in the world—and then all the athletes are thrown into the scrum together, and forced to compete at the height of their physical and mental talents. Amby Burfoot, Outside Online, 15 Oct. 2019 The three took a train to another building, where a full press scrum was assembled and waiting. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2022 The vision of an abundant energy future will attract a scrum of billionaires, political operatives, and misty-eyed business leaders intent on resurrecting that oldest of pundit dreams: a bipartisan climate bill. Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, 20 July 2022 Winker, during Sunday’s scrum, later got in the face of Nevin, voicing his anger over the situation, then made an obscene gesture to the Angel Stadium crowd on his way off the field after getting ejected. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2022 The first outpost opened at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore this past April and has seen a scrum for reservations—David Beckham dined there last week. Andy Wang, Robb Report, 21 June 2022 See More
oregonlive, 3 Sep. 2022 While that was happening, more fighting broke out around the scrum. Mark Daniels, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2022 When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Kaiser jumped right into the scrum. Steven Zeitchik, Washington Post, 2 July 2022 The Olympics are the Olympics because the whole world is invited—at least the best in the world—and then all the athletes are thrown into the scrum together, and forced to compete at the height of their physical and mental talents. Amby Burfoot, Outside Online, 15 Oct. 2019 The three took a train to another building, where a full press scrum was assembled and waiting. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2022 The vision of an abundant energy future will attract a scrum of billionaires, political operatives, and misty-eyed business leaders intent on resurrecting that oldest of pundit dreams: a bipartisan climate bill. Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, 20 July 2022 Winker, during Sunday’s scrum, later got in the face of Nevin, voicing his anger over the situation, then made an obscene gesture to the Angel Stadium crowd on his way off the field after getting ejected. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2022 The first outpost opened at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore this past April and has seen a scrum for reservations—David Beckham dined there last week. Andy Wang, Robb Report, 21 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
short for scrummage, alteration of scrimmage
First Known Use
1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
scrums
noun
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
- throngs
- swarms
- hordes
- crowds
- flocks
- masses
- mobs
- armies
- multitudes
- legions
- masses
- bikes
- herds
- crushes
- routs
- crams
- presses
- droves
- gaggles
- hosts
- millions
- rabbles
- riffraffs
- piles
- rabblements
- heaps
- mountains
- logjams
- jams
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
- skirmishes
- clashes
- fights
- battles
- scuffles
- tussles
- scrimmages
- brawls
- dustups
- struggles
- contests
- confrontations
- altercations
- duels
- fracas
- fracases
- conflicts
- frays
- melees
- combats
- quarrels
- fisticuffs
- scraps
- fistfights
- slugfests
- disputes
- punch-ups
- jousts
- hassles
- affrays
- blows
- spats
- squabbles
- donnybrooks
- ructions
- rows
- face-offs
- controversies
- ruckuses
- tangles
- tiffs
- contretemps
- pitched battles
- wrangles
- catfights
- broils
- free-for-alls
- battle royales
- disagreements
- mêlées
- battles royal
- battle royals
- rough-and-tumbles
- arguments
- misunderstandings
- battles royale
- mix-ups
- grapples
- cross fires
- punch-outs
- handgrips
- falling-outs
- fallings-out
- kickups
- argy-bargies
- argle-bargles
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- truces
3
as in madhouses
British a place of uproar or confusion London's tube is quite a scrum during rush hour Synonyms & Similar Words
- madhouses
- bedlams
- circuses
- messes
- three-ring circuses
- bustles
- ruckuses
- commotions
- rackets
- brouhahas
- babels
- noises
- dins
- pandemoniums
- turmoils
- shambles
- tumults
- hubbubs
- disorders
- clamors
- musses
- clatters
- havoc
- disarrays
- chaoses
- confusions
- disarrangements
- hells
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- organizations
- utopias
- heavens
- orders
- paradises
- lulls
- silences
- arcadias
- respites
- peaces
- calms
- hushes
- quiets