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
Gonzales is charged with 29 counts of child endangerment, accused of having neglected his duty and training during the chaotic response to the shooting.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026
Whether Allen was in the process of turning and running away or stumbling in a chaotic scene in a wobbly subway car was unclear.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Dean, meanwhile, has had her star rise significantly in the past several months, as reflected by the chaotic on-sale for her The Art of Loving Live tour.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Jamal Murray drained a three-pointer from almost three-quarters court at the buzzer to punctuate a chaotic final 35 seconds that was preceded by Doncic’s 13th technical foul of the season and featured an 8-0 run for the Nuggets.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
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Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 21 Jan. 2026
Whether Allen was in the process of turning and running away or stumbling in a chaotic scene in a wobbly subway car was unclear.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
Dean, meanwhile, has had her star rise significantly in the past several months, as reflected by the chaotic on-sale for her The Art of Loving Live tour.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Jamal Murray drained a three-pointer from almost three-quarters court at the buzzer to punctuate a chaotic final 35 seconds that was preceded by Doncic’s 13th technical foul of the season and featured an 8-0 run for the Nuggets.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 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 27 Jan. 2026.
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