chaos

noun

ˈkā-ˌäs How to pronounce chaos (audio)
Definition of chaosnext
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order the boy's room is in such chaos that it looks as though a tornado had struck

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chaos Kateri’s section is quieter and methodical like its central hero, who slips undetected among this community to sow her chaos and reap her revenge. — Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2026 The irony, of course, is that this very haphazardness is orchestrated by Dante, who is putting all the references together with intention — the intention of creating the illusion of no intention, of chaos. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 Aug. 2026 In IconArrows pointing outwards The CNBC chart above captures the chaos, as the back and forth drama continues around the Strait. — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026 Then came the Iranian Revolution of 1979, and with it, a new era of chaos and discord. — Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chaos
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chaos
  1. havoc
  2. mess
  3. jumble
  4. confusion
  5. hell
  6. disorder
Noun
  • The wingers were the stand-out performers during the pre-season trip to Asia, with Antoine Semenyo in particular — but also Savinho — causing havoc with their dribbling.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The havoc a hacker wreaks using their attack could be catastrophic.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • The lineup has expanded beyond its viral multi-balm, too, with lightweight SPF sticks and even a mess-minimizing grinding cleansing balm.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 15 Aug. 2026
  • This major price cut gives pet owners, apartment renters, and busy families an easy way to clean up the mess in a single pass without retail price strain.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
    — Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble
Noun
  • The new on-pitch laws… There was confusion at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium in the first round of the Carabao Cup, when substitute Fin Cartwright was held back from entering the pitch straight away.
    — George Edwards, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The confusion is that Italian etiquette is not the same as Italian-American etiquette, where the continuing use of the spoon is not uncommon.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • Instead Justine shows up to slit his throat and take the baby from him, leaving him for dead; the child winds up disappearing with Holtz into a hell dimension.
    — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Desperate to believe his life is about to change, Tommy steals Wayne’s car and begins driving his band from Kansas City to Los Angeles, hell bent on getting there in three days.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of hell
Noun
  • A number of cardiovascular conditions—including atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder—are linked to cardiac neurons.
    — Isabella Backman, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The study connected gut inflammation in 12 children to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of disorder

Browse Nearby Words

chants
chaos
chaoses
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Cite this Entry

“Chaos.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chaos. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on chaos

Nglish: Translation of chaos for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chaos

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