Net Income Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended													12 Months Ended
	Aug. 29, 2020	[1]	May 30, 2020	[1]	Feb. 29, 2020	[1]	Nov. 30, 2019	[1]	Aug. 31, 2019	[2]	Jun. 01, 2019	Mar. 02, 2019	Dec. 01, 2018	Aug. 29, 2020	Aug. 31, 2019	Sep. 01, 2018
Net Income Per Share [Abstract]
Net income attributable to MSC Industrial as reported	$ 52,496		$ 77,703		$ 55,500		$ 65,418		$ 66,608		$ 79,601	$ 68,424	$ 74,232	$ 251,117	$ 288,865	$ 329,223
Less: Distributed net income available to participating securities															(45)	(89)
Less: Undistributed net income available to participating securities															(75)	(291)
Undistributed and distributed net income available to common shareholders														251,117	288,745	328,843
Add: Undistributed net income allocated to participating securities															75	291
Less: Undistributed net income reallocated to participating securities															(75)	(290)
Undistributed and distributed net income available to common shareholders														$ 251,117	$ 288,745	$ 328,844
Weighted average shares outstanding for basic net income per share														55,472	55,245	56,355
Effect of dilutive securities														171	263	352
Weighted average shares outstanding for diluted net income per share														55,643	55,508	56,707
Basic	$ 0.94		$ 1.40		$ 1.00		$ 1.18		$ 1.21		$ 1.44	$ 1.24	$ 1.34	$ 4.53	$ 5.23	$ 5.84
Diluted	$ 0.94		$ 1.40		$ 1.00		$ 1.18		$ 1.20		$ 1.44	$ 1.24	$ 1.33	$ 4.51	$ 5.20	$ 5.80
Potentially dilutive securities														1,393	1,080	207

[1] In fiscal year 2020, the Company recorded $6,583 of consulting-related costs and $10,446 of severance and separation benefits charges and other related costs. Refer to Note 13 for more information. The net income per share impact from these charges were $0.23 in fiscal year 2020. Consulting-related costs, and severance and separation benefits charges and other related costs by fiscal quarter in fiscal year 2020 were as follows: $2,571 ($0.03 Net income per share impact) in fiscal Q1; $1,941 ($0.03 Net income per share impact) in fiscal Q2; $1,359 ($0.02 Net income per share impact) in fiscal Q3; and $11,158 ($0.15 Net income per share impact) in fiscal Q4.

[2] In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019, the Company recorded $6,725 of severance and separation benefits charges and other related costs associated with workforce reduction and increased performance management. The net income per share impact from these charges was $0.09 in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019.