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

• chance-medley
• confusion
• disarrangement
• disarray
• dishevelment
• disorder
• disorderedness
• disorderliness
• disorganization
• free-for-all
• havoc
• heck
• hell
• jumble
• mare's nest
• mess
• messiness
• misorder
• muddle
• muss
• shambles
• snake pit
• tumble
• welter

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

The Supercharger network has grown since then, though not without a period of chaos for the automaker and the entire car industry that bet on it. —Patrick George, The Atlantic, 18 June 2025

And there was a lot of chaos on the court as the Warriors were celebrating on foreign turf and the media was scrambling to figure out where the most advantageous spots were for postgame coverage. —Zach Harper, New York Times, 18 June 2025

For leaders, the takeaway is simple: let chaos strip the fluff away. —Victoria Chynoweth, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2025

The film is set in 1403 in the Kingdom of Bohemia, where chaos reigns. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 17 June 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