shambolic

American

[sham-bol-ik] / ʃæmˈbɒl ɪk /

adjective

Chiefly British Informal.

very disorganized; messy or confused.

I’ve had a shambolic year, the worst ever.

shambolic British

/ ʃæmˈbɒlɪk /

adjective

informal completely disorganized; chaotic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of shambolic

First recorded in 1960–65; alteration of shambles (in the sense “a disordered place”); probably on the model of symbolic ( def. )

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.

See Examples For:

shambolic

Hastings and Rye MP Helena Dollimore told BBC Radio Sussex that the process has been "shambolic" and that the British Museum should put aside a batch of tickets for locals.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

But he left the company in July saying he couldn't face another "shambolic" Christmas.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

England's bolder approach after a shaky opening 25 minutes offered up the prospect of a landmark victory, but shambolic defending saw Guehi and O'Reilly present gifts Spain were happy to accept.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

The next day, Witkoff was again with Trump, and Don Jr. and Eric Trump, in a shambolic livestreamed announcement of their new crypto venture: World Liberty Financial.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

Instead, the so-called autopsy was a shambolic train wreck of missing paragraphs, factual errors, and apparent plagiarism.

From Slate ● May 23, 2026

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023