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.
They took the capital unopposed after a lightning offensive that swept across Afghanistan, toppling government forces in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal of US-led troops.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Here, to be chaotic and colorful is a badge of honor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
“People like to throw those chaotic videos online,” said Jansen, who works in marketing and runs a social-media account dedicated to Greece travel tips.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
In Byrd and Roberts’ case, the state insists it arose in seconds, during the same chaotic burst of gunfire that even the judge agrees began as lawful self-defense.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Finally they made it to the chaotic, crowded waterfront, where Huynh’s commander was loading people onto a barge tied at the pier.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
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.
