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.
The resulting scrum led to a shot-clock violation, and that’s when Reynolds delivered the dagger. Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Feb. 2025 Around this time, as The Apprentice was becoming a hit on NBC, the network tried to persuade Michaels to host his own reality show, broadcasting the competitive scrum behind the scenes at SNL. Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Feb. 2025 Kerr later spent time with her family, including father Roger and mother Roxanne who had flown over from Australia, before making a swift exit through the media scrum. Tom Burrows, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025 The restaurant’s interior is cramped, in a warm and elegant sort of way; past the scrum at the host stand is a pint-size bar, and a brief field of tables beyond. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 2 Feb. 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 24 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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