What does "scrum" mean?
A tightly packed and disorderly crowd of people.
Scrum
/skɹʌm/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A tightly packed and disorderly crowd of people.
- Grammar: scrum is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: crowd, framework, huddle, mass.
- Useful contrasts: calm, free play, open play.
- Usage evidence: A scrum developed around the bar when free beer was announced.
How to use "scrum"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "scrum" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "scrum" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "scrum" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "scrum" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "scrum" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "crowd" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "scrum", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A tightly packed and disorderly crowd of people.
"A scrum developed around the bar when free beer was announced."
- 2 (rugby) the method of beginning play in which the forwards of each team crouch side by side with locked arms; play starts when the ball is thrown in between them and the two sides compete for possession wordnet
- 3 A tightly packed group of reporters surrounding a person, usually a politician, asking for comments about an issue; an opportunity provided for a politician to be approached this way. Canada
"A scrum formed around Scott Brison in the House of Commons lobby shortly after he announced his candidacy for the federal Liberal leadership."
- 4 In rugby union or rugby league, all the forwards joined together in an organised way.
- 5 In Agile software development (specifically Scrum or related methodologies), a daily meeting in which each developer describes what they have been doing, what they plan to do next, and any impediments to progress.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Hostile shoving between two groups.
"[A] group of far-right lawmakers tried to mark Jerusalem Day by forcing their way into the street inhabited by the Palestinians listed for eviction. A group of leftist and Arab lawmakers blocked their path, setting off a brief scrum, before at least one far-right lawmaker ... broke through the Arabs' lines.""
Verb
- 1 To form a scrum. intransitive
Proper Noun
- 1 Alternative letter-case form of Scrum. alt-of
- 2 An iterative and incremental agile software development method for managing software projects and product or application development.
- 3 Alternative letter-case form of Scrum. alt-of
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"A scrum developed around the bar when free beer was announced."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "scrum"?
Common synonyms include: crowd, framework, huddle, mass, methodology, mêlée.
How do you use "scrum" in a sentence?
A scrum developed around the bar when free beer was announced.
How do you pronounce "scrum"?
Pronounced /skɹʌm/.
Etymology
Either a back-formation from or an apocopic form of scrummage, a variant of scrimmage.