chaos

noun

cha·​os ˈkā-ˌäs How to pronounce chaos (audio)
1
a
: a state of utter confusion
the blackout caused chaos throughout the city
b
: a confused mass or mixture
a chaos of television antennas
2
a
often capitalized : a state of things in which chance is supreme
especially : the confused unorganized state of primordial matter before the creation of distinct forms compare cosmos
b
: the inherent unpredictability in the behavior of a complex natural system (such as the atmosphere, boiling water, or the beating heart)
3
obsolete : chasm, abyss

Examples of chaos in a Sentence

The loss of electricity caused chaos throughout the city. When the police arrived, the street was in total chaos. The country had descended into economic chaos.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And then there's the baseline chaos of Indian traffic to contend with. New Atlas, 24 Dec. 2024 Set boundaries early on, like giving yourself permission to skip the chaos for a cup of hot cocoa. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024 Part of the charm of The Sicilian Inheritance is its portrait of the chaos of living in a big, passionate family, one that’s full of multicourse lunches and gossipy second cousins. Marnie Shure, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024 November Richmond elected a new mayor and new City Council and School Board members, our airport received a grant to consolidate its two TSA screening areas into one, and there was health department chaos. Sabrina Moreno, Axios, 23 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chaos 

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek — more at gum

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of chaos was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near chaos

Cite this Entry

“Chaos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaos. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

chaos

noun
cha·​os ˈkā-ˌäs How to pronounce chaos (audio)
: complete confusion
chaotic adjective
chaotically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on chaos

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!