chaotic

adjective

cha·​ot·​ic kā-ˈä-tik How to pronounce chaotic (audio)
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
To the uninitiated visitor, the seemingly chaotic energy of a typical Thai market may give the impression of a free-for-all, …Diane Ruengsom
2
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
A 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
chaotically adverb
a chaotically busy scene

Examples of chaotic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Hamas faced no small task in policing the at times chaotic territory, where influential clans and criminal groups had filled power vacuums left by the chaos of the second Palestinian uprising. Bryan Pietsch, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 Smiles are more chaotic, the energy is messier and the mood more comfortable. Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Mesa police recently released body camera footage to The Arizona Republic showing the chaotic aftermath of multiple resident injuries at one facility. Caitlin McGlade, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024 While chaotic, April 1 is a favorite for many Americans, providing the childish fun absent from most days. Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 18 Mar. 2024 The move comes after a chaotic 2023 spring break, which saw two deadly shootings and 488 arrests – half of them felony offenses, according to Miami Beach Police. Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024 The chaotic fall through orbit finally came to an end last week when the cargo pallet reentered on March 8 around 3:29 p.m. Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 The school’s chaotic principal, Ava Coleman (Janelle James), is thrilled by the prospect of receiving more funding from the city because of the special designation. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 The OpenAI board is attempting to close the door on a tumultuous chapter that saw its revered CEO Sam Altman fired, exalted and then reinstated as CEO in a chaotic four-day span. Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chaotic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chaotic was in 1688

Dictionary Entries Near chaotic

Cite this Entry

“Chaotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaotic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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