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 TodaySynonyms
Examples of chaotic in a Sentence
a chaotic cellar sorely in need of some straightening up
Recent Examples on the Web
The week’s biggest stories A month after L.A. firestorms, essential questions still haunt Southern California
The region is still grappling with basic questions about what caused the blazes, why evacuations were so chaotic and whether officials were prepared.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2025
While the transfer was orderly – in contrast to chaotic scenes surrounding the release of Israeli and Thai hostages in Gaza last week – the three appeared thin and pale when they were led onto a makeshift stage.
—Sophie Tanno and Mick Krever, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
France’s spending, though diminished like many other nations over the last year of chaotic geopolitical churn, was $11 billion in 2023.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
The first episode — or rather, the chaotic minutes leading up to the premiere — was the subject of director Jason Reitman’s movie Saturday Night, which debuted in theaters last fall.
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for chaotic 
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Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2025
While the transfer was orderly – in contrast to chaotic scenes surrounding the release of Israeli and Thai hostages in Gaza last week – the three appeared thin and pale when they were led onto a makeshift stage.
—Sophie Tanno and Mick Krever, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
France’s spending, though diminished like many other nations over the last year of chaotic geopolitical churn, was $11 billion in 2023.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025
The first episode — or rather, the chaotic minutes leading up to the premiere — was the subject of director Jason Reitman’s movie Saturday Night, which debuted in theaters last fall.
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for chaotic
Dictionary Entries Near chaotic
Cite this Entry
“Chaotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaotic. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
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