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.
Geekie fell quickly to the ice, but a scrum formed between the two teams. Aaron Portzline, The Athletic, 18 Dec. 2024 First time ever Hachimura walked away from his media scrum Wednesday after the Lakers practiced, laughing a little in disbelief. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024 During the post-event media scrum, it was revealed that Copeland had signed a multi-year, full-time contract with AEW. Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024 Ford is expecting changes in tariffs, emissions regulations and tax benefits for consumers purchasing electric vehicles, Farley said during a scrum with reporters during a Ford press event at Michigan Central Station in Detroit on Monday. Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press, 12 Dec. 2024 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 18 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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