1
a
or scrummage : 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

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
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.
View Comments The store, which is set against the mountain, was attracting a daily tourist scrum that inconvenienced residents. Chris Lau, CNN, 2 Feb. 2025 All the major buyers of indie fare were in the scrum for the romantic horror-comedy. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025 Garland, of all people, jabbed at Calvin Pickard when the Oilers goalie had the puck covered midway through the second period, which ignited a scrum behind the net. Daniel Nugent-Bowman, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025 Late in the Canucks' 3-2 win over the Oilers on Saturday, McDavid and Garland got tied up in a scrum. Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 21 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for scrum 

Word History

Etymology

short for scrummage, alteration of scrimmage

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of scrum was in 1848

Dictionary Entries Near scrum

Cite this Entry

“Scrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrum. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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