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)
Synonyms
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
Neither of us particularly relished adding a mile-long walk to the end of the night, but the trade-off was avoiding the worst of the inevitable rideshare chaos.
—
Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2024
At the center is Leonard Lambert (Glen), a devoted husband and father who grapples with protecting his family amidst the chaos of war as German forces advance to their village.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 June 2024
Tenants of the troubled Independence Towers apartment building started their week coping with the chaos of a fire, and finished it in negotiations with their new landlord, just prior to learning a fellow resident was charged with arson.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 23 June 2024
The first 2024 presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, now just four days away, set to be very different from the chaos of four years ago.
—ABC News, 23 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for chaos 
Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2024
At the center is Leonard Lambert (Glen), a devoted husband and father who grapples with protecting his family amidst the chaos of war as German forces advance to their village.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 24 June 2024
Tenants of the troubled Independence Towers apartment building started their week coping with the chaos of a fire, and finished it in negotiations with their new landlord, just prior to learning a fellow resident was charged with arson.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 23 June 2024
The first 2024 presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, now just four days away, set to be very different from the chaos of four years ago.
—ABC News, 23 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for chaos
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chaos.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near chaos
Cite this Entry
“Chaos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaos. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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