scrums

noun

plural of scrum
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
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in madhouses
British a place of uproar or confusion London's tube is quite a scrum during rush hour

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of scrums Erasmus emptied his bench in the third quarter and the fresh power showed in the increasingly one-sided scrums. — ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026 While viral videos poke fun, territorial scrums over scarce Costco spots can turn ugly, and sometimes violent. — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 30 July 2026 Players participated in practice interviews, informal scrums and official press conferences throughout the weekend. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026 That increase, unlike in the Premier League in its 2025-26 season, is not primarily due to inswinging corners causing rugby-style scrums in the six-yard box. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026 That didn’t seem to dent the energy, with spontaneous Argentinian futbol songs breaking out among scrums of fans. — Matias Ocner, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026 The media scrums around each player reflected their importance, with constant jostling for the right positioning of microphones and cameras. — Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026 Rebounding was a recurring problem, leading to chaotic scrums in front of the net. — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026 No awkward scrums with the media grilling him about a slump Saturday morning ahead of Game 3 of this second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 9 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrums
  1. throngs
  2. skirmishes
  3. circuses
  4. swarms
  5. clashes
  6. messes
  7. hordes
  8. fights
Noun
  • The cows made their way to the altar — with the handlers helping to guide them with hay — through throngs of people and a few mascots sitting in seats and lined up on the streets, who stopped by just to see the unique occasion.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The rooms proved to be catnip for selfie-seekers and a financial boon to museums and galleries, which could dependably rely on them to draw throngs of visitors eager to line up for a chance at a few seconds alone in one of them.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of throngs
Noun
  • Its outcome will be a major milestone in the decades-long political skirmishes over CEQA.
    — Dan Walters, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In 1988, for instance, Khomeini finally agreed to end his war with Iraq after the United States began engaging Iranian naval ships in direct skirmishes, leading him to fear that Reagan might formally align with Saddam Hussein’s regime.
    — Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of skirmishes
Noun
  • By now, not even third-rate circuses would hire me, much less an outfit like Hep Spyder’s, the World’s Famous Bushwick Circus.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The best World Cup base camps have tended to be quiet ones, with squads that hole up in small towns and bond away from the spotlight routinely outlasting teams stationed amid bigger circuses.
    — Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of circuses
Noun
  • Adversaries may soon be able to fly drones in coordinated swarms using AI, effectively overwhelming any defenses.
    — Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Nightly swarms of drones closed Russian airports, struck oil refineries or set ablaze the warehouses of retail giants Wildberries and Ozon.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of swarms
Noun
  • Assertive Mars clashes with your ruler Saturn, highlighting tension around your home, family, or the amount of emotional labor each person carries.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • He had been expected to leave by the end of the year, but clashes with Hegseth on things like the ouster of top Army officers played a role in his decision to depart, a source familiar with the dynamic told Semafor.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of clashes
Noun
  • The Australian singer-songwriter seeks to strike a balance between life’s contradictions, desires and messes through raw lyrics, deceptively relaxed jangle rock and woozy folk-pop.
    — Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • To prevent excessive messes in your microwave, cover your food with a paper towel or a microwave-safe splatter guard.
    — Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of messes
Noun
  • Chino Hills State Park is almost never crowded, except during a spring super bloom, when the hillsides erupt in California poppies and hordes of would-be influencers arrive to take photos for Instagram.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Since it was designated the first national recreation area in 1964, hordes of visitors have cut Lake Mead’s glassy surface with jet skis and boats, carelessly dropping belongings that may now wash up on shore.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of hordes
Noun
  • In a few boss fights, the battles can suddenly change into a completely different format.
    — George Yang, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • While clearing mobs of enemies can be fun, the combat really shines during the game’s many boss fights.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of fights

Browse Nearby Words

scrumptious
scrums
scrunch
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scrums.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrums. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All