chaotic
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of chaotic
Explanation
Something chaotic is really out of control or disorganized. Chaotic starts with a hard "K" sound (kay-AH-tick), but things that are chaotic are usually not OK, they're crazy disordered, like your crammed locker at the end of the school year. Chaotic is an adjective that comes from the noun "chaos," meaning complete and total confusion or lack of order. Your teacher might find it chaotic inside the bus on the way home from a field trip, with so much talking and singing and stored up energy bouncing around. A classic example of something chaotic is the running of the bulls in Spain, an event that lets people run the streets with a bunch of huge, sharp-horned bulls. It's totally chaotic!
Vocabulary lists containing chaotic
"Marigolds"
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"Names/Nombres" by Julia Alvarez
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50 Great Words from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The manner in which England's players have stepped up, appearing to thrive in chaotic game-states, is commendable, and shows not only a psychological strength but a level of individual footballing quality too.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Plus, Netflix is rethinking some of its core strategies to compete with rivals, and the chaotic sweepstakes to replace Graham Platner has begun.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
"It's not chaotic like Earth's mantle," Noto says.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
“The film will absolutely be funny, chaotic and self-aware — very Tilly,” van der Velden said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
I used to complain to Omar about my chaotic home.
From "Amal Unbound" by Aisha Saeed
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
