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
March Madness is upon us, in all its chaotic glory.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
The video, obtained by this news organization through a public records request, shows a seemingly chaotic scene.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
But the chaotic all-party special election in northwest Georgia is about more than who fills a deep-red House seat.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Among the most compelling evidence the jury saw was bystander and police bodycam footage that showed the graphic and chaotic aftermath of the crash.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
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Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026
The video, obtained by this news organization through a public records request, shows a seemingly chaotic scene.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
But the chaotic all-party special election in northwest Georgia is about more than who fills a deep-red House seat.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Among the most compelling evidence the jury saw was bystander and police bodycam footage that showed the graphic and chaotic aftermath of the crash.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 10 Mar. 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 14 Mar. 2026.
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