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
The chaotic scene engulfed the area of downtown Wilmington surrounding the hospital.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Animal migration routes might look chaotic on a map, but birds, whales, turtles and more forge these paths for specific reasons.
—Torben Rick, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
Before working with Firstwork, onboarding workers was chaotic, says courier growth and compliance manager Dasha Tarasenkova.
—Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Why McDonald’s is testing AI ordering Drive-thrus can get chaotic fast.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
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Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Animal migration routes might look chaotic on a map, but birds, whales, turtles and more forge these paths for specific reasons.
—Torben Rick, The Conversation, 18 June 2026
Before working with Firstwork, onboarding workers was chaotic, says courier growth and compliance manager Dasha Tarasenkova.
—Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Why McDonald’s is testing AI ordering Drive-thrus can get chaotic fast.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 June 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 19 Jun. 2026.
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