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
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
In the scrum of literature about the Kennedys and their satellites, the wives, saddled with the heavy work of making the family grow, Beller’s book is guileless.
—
Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 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
Instead of people remembering Monday night’s tilt for the Hornets’ chance to equal a feat that had only been accomplished once in franchise history, a third-quarter scrum and the ejection of coach Charles Lee headlined their 110-104 defeat to the Detroit Pistons at Spectrum Center.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Mouhamed Gueye #18 of the Atlanta Hawks get into a scrum in the fourth quarter at Target Center on February 09, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
—CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrum
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Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 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
Instead of people remembering Monday night’s tilt for the Hornets’ chance to equal a feat that had only been accomplished once in franchise history, a third-quarter scrum and the ejection of coach Charles Lee headlined their 110-104 defeat to the Detroit Pistons at Spectrum Center.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Mouhamed Gueye #18 of the Atlanta Hawks get into a scrum in the fourth quarter at Target Center on February 09, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
—CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scrum
Cite this Entry
“Scrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrum. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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