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)
Synonyms
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
Blaring guitars and clashing drums are paired, and piercing synths turn up the volume on Gartland’s alt-pop, making for a dynamic project exploring the inherent chaos of romance.
—
Stephen Daw, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2024
Former President Donald Trump hasn’t wasted any time trying to pin the sense of chaos on his rival, perhaps hoping that voters simply forget the chaos of his own presidency.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 3 Oct. 2024
Videos posted on social media over the weekend by the Ukrainian Khorne Group drone unit capture the chaos.
—David Axe, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
The tension is aptly conveyed in U2’s show, when the videography dissipates, as if the dome were disintegrating, to reveal the chaos, frenzy, and reality of the surrounding city.
—Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for chaos 
Stephen Daw, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2024
Former President Donald Trump hasn’t wasted any time trying to pin the sense of chaos on his rival, perhaps hoping that voters simply forget the chaos of his own presidency.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 3 Oct. 2024
Videos posted on social media over the weekend by the Ukrainian Khorne Group drone unit capture the chaos.
—David Axe, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
The tension is aptly conveyed in U2’s show, when the videography dissipates, as if the dome were disintegrating, to reveal the chaos, frenzy, and reality of the surrounding city.
—Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for chaos
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chaos.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near chaos
Cite this Entry
“Chaos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaos. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.
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