Synonyms of scrums

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

• throngs
• swarms
• hordes
• flocks
• crowds
• masses
• mobs
• multitudes
• armies
• legions
• masses
• bikes
• herds
• routs
• crushes
• droves
• presses
• hosts
• millions
• crams
• rabbles
• gaggles
• riffraffs
• piles
• rabblements
• heaps
• mountains
• jams
• logjams

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

• skirmishes
• clashes
• fights
• battles
• scuffles
• tussles
• scrimmages
• brawls
• dustups
• struggles
• contests
• altercations
• confrontations
• duels
• frays
• fracases
• conflicts
• combats
• melees
• scraps
• quarrels
• fisticuffs
• fistfights
• hassles
• disputes
• slugfests
• blows
• jousts
• affrays
• punch-ups
• rows
• squabbles
• spats
• ructions
• pitched battles
• donnybrooks
• tangles
• broils
• face-offs
• controversies
• mix-ups
• ruckuses
• contretemps
• wrangles
• tiffs
• battles royal
• rough-and-tumbles
• catfights
• punch-outs
• disagreements
• free-for-alls
• misunderstandings
• arguments
• fallings-out
• grapples
• cross fires
• handgrips
• kickups
• argle-bargles
• argy-bargies

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• truces

3

as in madhouses

British a place of uproar or confusion

London's tube is quite a scrum during rush hour

Synonyms & Similar Words

• madhouses
• bedlams
• circuses
• messes
• three-ring circuses
• babels
• commotions
• bustles
• rackets
• brouhahas
• ruckuses
• noises
• pandemoniums
• turmoils
• dins
• tumults
• clatters
• shambles
• disorders
• clamors
• hubbubs
• musses
• havoc
• chaoses
• disarrays
• disarrangements
• confusions
• hells

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• organizations
• utopias
• heavens
• orders
• paradises
• lulls
• arcadias
• silences
• respites
• peaces
• calms
• hushes
• quiets

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scrums

The scrums and after-whistle activity that defined the first period of Game 2 and much of Game 1 simply were not there in Game 3, with the Lightning seemingly content to play between the whistles in an effort to avoid handing the Canadiens power plays in bunches. —Arpon Basu, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026

The game featured several scrums after the whistle, a spirited fight between Montreal’s Josh Anderson and Tampa Bay’s Declan Carlile, and seven 10-minute misconducts — culminating in 126 penalty minutes. —ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026

Lawmakers have cycled through classified briefings, TV interviews and hallway scrums with reporters, but have taken little formal action related to Trump’s war efforts — just two unsuccessful votes aimed at limiting the conflict. —Ana Ceballos follow, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026

The heat turned up in the second, with a few post-whistle scrums, then a full-on fight between Wild defenseman Jake Middleton and Knights winger Keegan Kolesar that earned each of them a five-minute timeout. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 7 Mar. 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

Despite that, Concepcion always embraced his time in media scrums, shook everyone's hand before and after and showed confidence while doing so. —Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 27 Jan. 2026

And while this particular standoff has been unusually drawn out, the sticking points wouldn’t be unfamiliar to anyone who’s participated in one of the hundreds of similar scrums that have taken place since the dawn of the cable bundle. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 14 Nov. 2025

The incident sparked multiple scrums across the ice. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2025