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
Republican lawmakers called the chaotic exit one of the darkest moments of Biden's administration.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Streets pulse with music, laughter, and a packed calendar of events, creating an electric atmosphere that draws both locals and visitors into one joyous and chaotic rhythm.
—Joyce Onuorah, Essence, 14 Jan. 2025
The president also addressed what is arguably the longest shadow on his record in office, the chaotic and deadly pullout from Afghanistan in August 2021, framing it as a difficult but necessary decision that freed up American resources to address the threats from China and Russia.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025
Trump’s threats against less powerful countries reflect the basic principles of Trump’s worldview, factors that will likely make his second-term foreign policy chaotic and destabilizing.
—Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025
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Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Streets pulse with music, laughter, and a packed calendar of events, creating an electric atmosphere that draws both locals and visitors into one joyous and chaotic rhythm.
—Joyce Onuorah, Essence, 14 Jan. 2025
The president also addressed what is arguably the longest shadow on his record in office, the chaotic and deadly pullout from Afghanistan in August 2021, framing it as a difficult but necessary decision that freed up American resources to address the threats from China and Russia.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2025
Trump’s threats against less powerful countries reflect the basic principles of Trump’s worldview, factors that will likely make his second-term foreign policy chaotic and destabilizing.
—Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 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 22 Jan. 2025.
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