chaos
complete disorder or confusion
A situation where everything feels very messy, confusing, and not under control.
chaos in [something]
- There was total chaos in the office after the computer system crashed.
- The kitchen descended into chaos as everyone tried to cook at the same time.
- Her thoughts were in chaos after she heard the shocking news.
- Traffic was chaos this morning because of the heavy snow.
- The sudden change of plan threw the meeting into chaos.
- It was chaos at the airport after the storm.
- My room is chaos before I clean it.
- There was chaos in the classroom when the teacher left.
- The city was in chaos during the big festival.
- His mind was in chaos before the big exam.
violent social or political disorder
A time when a country, city, or system is out of control, with trouble on the streets and no clear rules working.
chaos in [country/region]
- The government resigned, leaving the country in chaos.
- After the dictator fell, the streets erupted in chaos and looting.
- Fuel shortages created economic chaos across the region.
- Police struggled to restore order amid the chaos in the capital.
- Without a clear plan for transition, the revolution led to years of political chaos.
- The city fell into chaos after the riot.
- War brought chaos to the whole country.
- There was chaos on the streets after the election.
- The sudden change of leader caused political chaos.
- People left the area because of the chaos and fear.
chaotic behavior in systems
In science, a way that some systems change over time, where small changes at the start make very big and unpredictable differences later.
chaos in [system/process]
- The weather is often cited as a classic example of chaos in a natural system.
- Researchers used computer models to study the transition from order to chaos in the experiment.
- Chaos theory helps explain why long-term weather forecasts are so unreliable.
- The slightest change in initial conditions pushed the model into chaos.
- In chaos, trajectories that start very close can diverge exponentially over time.
- Scientists use chaos theory to study the weather.
- A small change can cause chaos in this kind of system.
- The teacher gave an easy example of chaos in physics class.
- Chaos makes it hard to predict what will happen next in the model.
- Some simple rules can still create chaos in a computer program.
primordial formless state before creation
In old stories and religious ideas, the empty, formless place that existed before the world began.
chaos before [creation/order]
- According to the myth, the gods shaped the world out of chaos.
- The poem describes a swirling cosmic chaos before the birth of light.
- In many ancient traditions, chaos is the raw material from which the universe emerges.
- The story opens with images of darkness and chaos before any life exists.
- Philosophers have long debated how order arose from chaos at the beginning of time.
- The old story says the world began in chaos.
- In the legend, a god creates order from chaos.
- The writer talks about chaos before the universe.
- Many myths start with dark chaos and then light.
- The film shows chaos turning slowly into a new world.
- Base: chaos
- Plural: chaos
chaos theory
6scientific field studying chaos
A part of science and math that studies systems that are very sensitive to small changes and are hard to predict.
- He wrote his thesis on chaos theory and weather prediction.
- Chaos theory became popular outside science in the 1980s.
- The book gives a simple introduction to chaos theory for non‑experts.
controlled chaos
5messy but secretly managed
A situation that seems very messy and wild, but someone is actually in control of it.
- The restaurant kitchen is a kind of controlled chaos on Friday nights.
- Parenting three small children often feels like controlled chaos.
- The event looked like chaos, but it was really controlled chaos.
in chaos
1in a state of disorder
Used to say that something is very disorganized and not under control.
- The whole schedule is in chaos after the delays.
- After the storm, the town was in chaos for days.
- My life feels in chaos at the moment.
on the brink of chaos
7very close to chaos
Almost in a state of complete disorder, but not yet there.
- With no clear plan, the project is on the brink of chaos.
- The city felt on the brink of chaos as protests grew.
- Her schedule was on the brink of chaos before she learned to say no.
on the edge of chaos
9between order and chaos
In science, a state between full order and full disorder, where a system can change in complex ways.
- Some researchers believe life thrives on the edge of chaos.
- The network operates on the edge of chaos, allowing both stability and change.
- Complex systems often evolve toward the edge of chaos.
order out of chaos
8create order from disorder
To make something organized and clear from a very messy, confused situation.
- A good manager can bring order out of chaos.
- The artist works to create order out of chaos on the canvas.
- The new system finally brought order out of chaos in the office.
organized chaos
4seems chaotic but works
A place or activity that looks very messy or disorganized, but still works well.
- Her desk is a kind of organized chaos; she always knows where everything is.
- The workshop may look like organized chaos, but every tool has its place.
- The rehearsal was organized chaos, yet the show was perfect.
plunge into chaos
3rapidly fall into chaos
To very quickly become extremely disorganized and out of control.
- The region was plunged into chaos after the earthquake.
- One bad decision can plunge a project into chaos.
- The market plunged into chaos when the news broke.
throw into chaos
2suddenly cause disorder
To suddenly make a situation very confused and out of control.
- The sudden resignation of the CEO threw the company into chaos.
- The power cut threw the entire city center into chaos.
- The announcement threw our holiday plans into chaos.
descend into chaos
1Fall into disorder and confusion
To become very disorganized and out of control.
- The meeting descended into chaos after the announcement.
- When the lights went out, the classroom descended into chaos.
descend into chaos
2gradually become chaotic
To slowly become very disorganized and out of control.
- The meeting descended into chaos when everyone started talking at once.
- Without clear rules, the online discussion quickly descended into chaos.
- The country descended into chaos after the president fled.