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
In the chaotic final stretch of the vote-a-rama, GOP leaders zeroed in on Murkowski, working to address her concerns about the bill’s financial effect on Alaska.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 2025
What surprised me the most Despite a chaotic global economy, brand spending reductions and a cautious outlook on growth, the spending and cash was flowing, flowing, flowing.
—David Doty, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
The chaotic and frenetic event can draw crowds of tourists eager to soak up the atmosphere.
—Isabelle Rodney, CNN Money, 29 June 2025
Nkunku’s goal came after a chaotic sequence in the 108th minute.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 29 June 2025
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Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 2025
What surprised me the most Despite a chaotic global economy, brand spending reductions and a cautious outlook on growth, the spending and cash was flowing, flowing, flowing.
—David Doty, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
The chaotic and frenetic event can draw crowds of tourists eager to soak up the atmosphere.
—Isabelle Rodney, CNN Money, 29 June 2025
Nkunku’s goal came after a chaotic sequence in the 108th minute.
—Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 29 June 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 13 Jul. 2025.
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