a scramble

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A hurried, confused struggle by many people to get something or reach somewhere.

   Grammar: Countable noun; often followed by 'for' plus the thing people want, or 'to' plus a verb.

   Patterns

   • a scramble for something
   • a scramble to do something
   • in a scramble

   There was a scramble for seats when the doors opened.

   After the announcement, there was a scramble to buy tickets.

   The children made a scramble for the last piece of cake.

2. 2nounsingular

   A rough, untidy climb over rocks or steep ground, using both hands and feet.

   Grammar: Usually singular and used with 'a'; describes the act of climbing awkwardly.

   Patterns

   • a scramble up something
   • a scramble over something

   It was a hard scramble up the rocky path.

   We had a steep scramble over the boulders to reach the top.

Word forms

Common combinations

a scramble for

There was a scramble for the best seats.

a mad scramble

It was a mad scramble to finish before the deadline.

a scramble to do something

The team began a scramble to find a replacement.

in the scramble

Several people were hurt in the scramble for the exit.

Synonyms and how they differ

rush

A rush is a sudden fast movement or busy period; a scramble stresses confusion and competition among many people.

scuffle

A scuffle is a short physical fight; a scramble is more about hurried, disorderly movement than fighting.

clamber

Clamber means to climb with difficulty, usually as a verb; a scramble as a noun can describe the same awkward climbing.

Word family

scramble verb

To move or climb quickly and awkwardly, or to struggle to get something.

scrambled adjective

Mixed up in a confused way, as in scrambled eggs or scrambled signals.

Commonly confused: a scramble or scramble?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a scramble”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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