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
The chaotic noise of Main Street traffic dissolves into the walls of this former bank vault, replaced by high-fidelity global sounds.
—Nathanael Gassett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Apr. 2026
Following the chaotic ending Lynch, as was his custom, bolted almost immediately from the stadium.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Produced by American High, Minimum Wage is described as an ensemble workplace series set inside a chaotic local pizza shop.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
The Mets are almost always a chaotic mess, and Cora has worked hard to put the Astros scandal behind him.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chaotic
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Nathanael Gassett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Apr. 2026
Following the chaotic ending Lynch, as was his custom, bolted almost immediately from the stadium.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Produced by American High, Minimum Wage is described as an ensemble workplace series set inside a chaotic local pizza shop.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
The Mets are almost always a chaotic mess, and Cora has worked hard to put the Astros scandal behind him.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 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 May. 2026.
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