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
Tyler brought the same provocative, chaotic self-expression into his solo career in 2009 with the mixtape Bastard, then broke into Billboard’s top five with his studio albums Goblin (2011), Wolf (2013) Cherry Bomb (2015) and Flower Boy (2017).
—Matt Craig, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The chaotic incident began to unfold in Davie on Tuesday afternoon.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Over the course of several years, the archaeologist had begun to understand the archive’s chaotic ways.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Fired from her day job, an impulsive actress crashes a support group and spirals into a chaotic night that forces her to face her addiction to drama.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
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Matt Craig, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The chaotic incident began to unfold in Davie on Tuesday afternoon.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Over the course of several years, the archaeologist had begun to understand the archive’s chaotic ways.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Fired from her day job, an impulsive actress crashes a support group and spirals into a chaotic night that forces her to face her addiction to drama.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 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 1 Feb. 2026.
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