chaos

noun

cha·​os ˈkā-ˌäs 

1

a

: a state of utter confusion

the blackout caused chaos throughout the city

b

: a confused mass or mixture

a chaos of television antennas

2

a

or Chaos : a state of things in which chance is supreme

especially : the confused unorganized state of primordial matter before the creation of distinct forms compare cosmos

b

: the inherent unpredictability in the behavior of a complex natural system (such as the atmosphere, boiling water, or the beating heart)

3

obsolete : chasm, abyss

Synonyms of chaos

• havoc
• mess
• jumble
• confusion
• hell
• disorder

Examples of chaos in a Sentence

The loss of electricity caused chaos throughout the city.

When the police arrived, the street was in total chaos.

The country had descended into economic chaos.

Recent Examples on the Web

Out of uniform and out of his comfort zone, about a week before the chaos ensues, Jack Campbell could, and probably should, be doing just anything else with his time. — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

What is harder to summon from this distance is the pulsating chaos of that day, hour by hour. — Ann Gerhart, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026

Conflicting court orders issued on the same day have thrown congressional elections in Missouri into chaos, two months before an election in which a handful of races could decide control of the House. — Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026

Great companies move quickly without creating unnecessary chaos. — Aleksandr Yampolskiy, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek — more at gum

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing chaos

• chaos theory

Kids Definition

chaos

noun

cha·​os ˈkā-ˌäs 

: complete confusion

chaotic

kā-ˈät-ik 

adjective

chaotically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb