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
Despite their kids belonging to a more open and fluid generation, the parents’ chaotic meddling threatens to upend everything.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
André's chaotic talk show, The Eric Andre Show (2012–2023), established the actor and comedian as a true subversive, which makes his turns in projects such as The Lion King (2019) and Trolls Band Together (2023) that much more amusing.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
However, a number of attendees posted negative comments about the event on social media, with many claiming that the experience was chaotic and poorly organized.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
This is the perspective of someone who has turned away from a chaotic and increasingly cruel world.
—Michael Jerome Plunkett
september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
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Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
André's chaotic talk show, The Eric Andre Show (2012–2023), established the actor and comedian as a true subversive, which makes his turns in projects such as The Lion King (2019) and Trolls Band Together (2023) that much more amusing.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
However, a number of attendees posted negative comments about the event on social media, with many claiming that the experience was chaotic and poorly organized.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
This is the perspective of someone who has turned away from a chaotic and increasingly cruel world.
—Michael Jerome Plunkett
september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
Cite this Entry
“Chaotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaotic. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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