Summary Of Quarterly Results (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended													12 Months Ended
	Aug. 29, 2020		May 30, 2020		Feb. 29, 2020		Nov. 30, 2019		Aug. 31, 2019		Jun. 01, 2019	Mar. 02, 2019	Dec. 01, 2018	Aug. 29, 2020	Aug. 31, 2019	Sep. 01, 2018
Summary Of Quarterly Results [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 747,732	[1]	$ 834,972	[1]	$ 786,094	[1]	$ 823,601	[1]	$ 842,670	[2]	$ 866,546	$ 823,004	$ 831,597	$ 3,192,399	$ 3,363,817	$ 3,203,878
Gross profit	311,112	[1]	353,962	[1]	331,052	[1]	347,196	[1]	353,589	[2]	368,655	351,814	357,985	1,343,322	1,432,043	1,392,961
Income from operations	72,920	[1]	109,852	[1]	77,670	[1]	90,298	[1]	90,514	[2]	110,501	95,981	103,000	350,740	399,996	420,553
Net income	52,636	[1]	78,114	[1]	55,556	[1]	65,452	[1]	66,621	[2]	79,514	68,430	74,232	251,758	288,797	329,223
Net income attributable to MSC Industrial as reported	$ 52,496	[1]	$ 77,703	[1]	$ 55,500	[1]	$ 65,418	[1]	$ 66,608	[2]	$ 79,601	$ 68,424	$ 74,232	$ 251,117	$ 288,865	$ 329,223
Basic	$ 0.94	[1]	$ 1.40	[1]	$ 1.00	[1]	$ 1.18	[1]	$ 1.21	[2]	$ 1.44	$ 1.24	$ 1.34	$ 4.53	$ 5.23	$ 5.84
Diluted	$ 0.94	[1]	$ 1.40	[1]	$ 1.00	[1]	$ 1.18	[1]	$ 1.20	[2]	$ 1.44	$ 1.24	$ 1.33	$ 4.51	$ 5.20	$ 5.80
Consulting-related costs														$ 6,583
Severance and separation, and equity acceleration costs														10,446
Consulting and severance costs and other	$ 11,158		$ 1,359		$ 1,941		$ 2,571		$ 6,725					$ 17,029	$ 6,725
Consulting and severance costs, per share impact	$ 0.15		$ 0.02		$ 0.03		$ 0.03							$ 0.23
Severance costs, per share impact									$ 0.09

[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.