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
David FlemingTo the uninitiated visitor, the seemingly chaotic energy of a typical Thai market may give the impression of a free-for-all, …—Diane Ruengsom
Diane Ruengsom2
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
Ingrid WickelgrenA 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
Physics TodayExamples of chaotic in a Sentence
a chaotic cellar sorely in need of some straightening up
Recent Examples on the Web
Why writers should embrace the chaotic process of play.
—Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Dean Di Laurentis brings chaotic ‘life of the party’ energy to Briar U’s ice hockey team, but his actor, 28-year-old Stephen Kalyn, was always more drawn to what’s under the surface.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 28 May 2026
Under his leadership, his meetings with the city council have been known to devolve into chaotic arguments and shouting matches.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
Living beneath one of the world's most famous landmarks, the iconic Hollywood sign, Rhoda Coleman and her neighbors are fed up with the traffic, chaotic scenes and harassment that comes from visitors.
—Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
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Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Dean Di Laurentis brings chaotic ‘life of the party’ energy to Briar U’s ice hockey team, but his actor, 28-year-old Stephen Kalyn, was always more drawn to what’s under the surface.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 28 May 2026
Under his leadership, his meetings with the city council have been known to devolve into chaotic arguments and shouting matches.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 28 May 2026
Living beneath one of the world's most famous landmarks, the iconic Hollywood sign, Rhoda Coleman and her neighbors are fed up with the traffic, chaotic scenes and harassment that comes from visitors.
—Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
Cite this Entry
“Chaotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaotic. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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