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

often capitalized : 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

• 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

Hollywood is littered with cautionary tales of child actors whose natural development is stunted, leaving them unable to ride the physical and emotional chaos that follows. —Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025

Strictly Come Dancing has been plunged into fresh chaos with the BBC launching an investigation into allegations of drug use on the show. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2025

The world is not going to wait for the U.S. to hash out its chaos, and other countries are already moving to reorient parts of their manufacturing and trade schemes to circumvent an unreliable United States. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2025

For years, the SEC was the coaching chaos conference, with seemingly every non-Nick Saban head coach on the hot seat at all times. —Jason Kirk, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025

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