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
Even the most experienced travelers among us can have a tendency to overpack, which can get messy and chaotic.
—Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2024
The thought of another pandemic certainly keeps me up at night, because COVID-19 was a very chaotic time.
—Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for chaotic 
Michelle Tchea, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2024
The thought of another pandemic certainly keeps me up at night, because COVID-19 was a very chaotic time.
—Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for chaotic
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chaotic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near chaotic
Cite this Entry
“Chaotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaotic. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.
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