shambolic

adjective

sham·​bol·​ic sham-ˈbä-lik How to pronounce shambolic (audio)
chiefly British
: obviously disorganized or confused

Examples of shambolic in a Sentence

a shambolic system of public transportation
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.
The mass reinstatements were as shambolic as the mass firings had been. E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2025 Under President Donald Trump, the United States’ exit became both more blatant and more shambolic, as the country abandoned some regional allies and egged on others—often flip-flopping from one to the other indiscriminately. Kenneth M. Pollack, Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2022 An even greater danger may lie in the shambolic nature of his policymaking. Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025 The shambolic nature of his plots has a Scheherazade flavor, a storyteller unfurling a tale bit by bit with no aim other than keeping the reader invested moment-to-moment, failure being the penalty of death. John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for shambolic

Word History

Etymology

probably from shambles

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shambolic was in 1970

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Cite this Entry

“Shambolic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shambolic. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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