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
Everett Police Officer Daniel Wall fired his gun multiple times at 33-year-old Malden man Admilson Vizcaino amid the chaotic scene last summer.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
The potluck is chaotic but really nice.
—R29 Team, Refinery29, 11 Feb. 2026
Give them a home with a rotating tray, which will make your collection less chaotic and more accessible.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Feb. 2026
In healthcare, with employer health-insurance premiums and deductibles rising rapidly, Americans turned to a chaotic array of new products to keep away from the doctor.
—Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
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Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
The potluck is chaotic but really nice.
—R29 Team, Refinery29, 11 Feb. 2026
Give them a home with a rotating tray, which will make your collection less chaotic and more accessible.
—Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Feb. 2026
In healthcare, with employer health-insurance premiums and deductibles rising rapidly, Americans turned to a chaotic array of new products to keep away from the doctor.
—Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 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 18 Feb. 2026.
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