chaotic
/keɪˈɒtɪk
/adjective
1In a state of complete confusion and disorder: the political situation was chaotic...
- People are very confused in this chaotic world about what is really the right thing to do.
- From its neat grid of streets which parallel the long waterfront, a more chaotic jumble of lanes wriggle up the hillside.
- How can any sense be made of what may appear to be a chaotic jumble of attitudes?
Synonyms
disorderly, disordered, in disorder, in chaos, in disarray, disorganized, topsy-turvy, haywire, confused, in pandemonium, in turmoil, tumultuous, disrupted;
frenzied, in uproar, in a muddle, jumbled, in a mess, messy, in a shambles, anarchic, lawless
rare orderless
1.1 Physics Relating to systems which exhibit chaos.They occur as the foundations of what is now known as chaotic systems....
- Smale discovered strange attractors which lead to chaotic dynamical systems.
- Many natural chaotic systems form fractals in the patterns that record the process.
Derivatives
chaotically
/ adverb ...- Swinging chaotically between mindless lethargy and eruptions of unbridled emotion, he is barely able to think rationally or arrive at any sort of decision.
- His playing was as chaotically brilliant as ever.
- It was a day of stray dogs howling in the streets with fear, flocks of birds flying chaotically in the sky - trying to escape the horrible noises and smoke.
Origin
Early 18th century: from chaos, on the pattern of words such as hypnotic.