chaotic

adjective

cha·​ot·​ic kā-ˈä-tik 

1

: marked by chaos or being in a state of chaos : completely confused or disordered

a chaotic political race

After he became famous, his life became even more chaotic.

They may look chaotic and barbaric, but scrums are a critical and strategic part of the game, and they unfold and escalate according to hockey's venerated, unwritten rules of engagement.

—David Fleming

To the uninitiated visitor, the seemingly chaotic energy of a typical Thai market may give the impression of a free-for-all, …

—Diane Ruengsom

2

mathematics : having outcomes that can vary widely due to extremely small changes in initial conditions

In other words, what comes out of the program's equations is extremely sensitive to what goes in. And that, as any mathematician would recognize, is one of the hallmarks of chaotic systems.

—Ingrid Wickelgren

A physical system—a weather system, say—is chaotic if a very slight change in initial conditions sends the system off on a very different course.

—Physics Today

chaotically

kā-ˈä-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

a chaotically busy scene

Synonyms of chaotic

• messy
• confused
• sloppy
• cluttered
• jumbled
• littered

Examples of chaotic in a Sentence

a chaotic cellar sorely in need of some straightening up

Recent Examples on the Web

Amidst the chaotic, heartfelt drama of an Italian-American funeral, 13-year-old Jimmy is tasked with cooking a legacy family dish after his uncle’s death. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026

Inside a ritzy event venue overlooking the Kansas City skyline, Royals majority owner John Sherman on Wednesday unveiled plans for a new stadium in Crown Center, a celebratory announcement that marked the apex of the team’s yearslong, chaotic hunt for a new home. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026

Though chaotic, the collection is organized by Conor’s interests, with anime, Irish cinema and horror some of its most densely populated sections. —Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026

Find out for yourself with its chaotic four-on-four battles. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for chaotic

• glottic
• abiotic
• aeronautic
• apoptotic
• asymptotic
• cyanotic
• eukaryotic
• idiotic
• meiotic
• patriotic
• prebiotic
• probiotic