chaos

chaos — noun

1. a completely confused and uncontrolled situation in which normal rules and order

1.nounB2
Definition

a completely confused and uncontrolled situation in which normal rules and order no longer apply

Example

After the earthquake, the city was in complete chaos for several days.

collocation: in chaos

The sudden power cut threw the office into chaos for the rest of the day.

collocation: throw something into chaos

Common collocations
  • in chaos
  • throw something into chaos
  • descend into chaos
  • pure chaos
  • complete chaos
  • total chaos
  • cause chaos
  • create chaos
  • chaos reigns
Synonyms
  • disorder

    less extreme than chaos; can refer to simple untidiness or lack of arrangement, not necessarily a total breakdown

  • mayhem

    stronger than chaos; suggests violence, noise, or destructive behaviour alongside the confusion

  • turmoil

    suggests emotional agitation, conflict, and restless confusion, not just a lack of physical order

  • confusion

    focuses on the mental state of not understanding; does not imply that the whole situation has fallen apart

Antonyms
  • order

    the direct opposite — a state where everything is arranged and functioning normally

  • peace

    a state of calm and quiet, with no disturbance or conflict

Grammar Patterns

chaos + of + noun phrase

be + in + chaos

Usage Note

Chaos is an uncountable noun and does not take the indefinite article 'a'. Common verb patterns include: cause chaos, create chaos, throw something into chaos, descend into chaos.

Common Mistakes

The meeting was a chaos.
The meeting was chaos.
Chaos is uncountable and cannot be used with 'a.'

Word family

  • chaotic
    adjectiveB2
  • chaotically
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a lack of order, but chaos signals the most extreme and complete breakdown — a situation where nothing functions as normal. Disorder is milder and often means simple untidiness or a lack of arrangement (His desk was in disorder). Mayhem implies violence or noisy, destructive behaviour alongside the confusion (There was mayhem at the station after the announcement). Turmoil suggests emotional agitation and conflict (The country was in turmoil after the election). Confusion is about being unable to think clearly or understand (The signs caused confusion among drivers). Use chaos when the situation itself has fallen apart completely, not just when people feel lost or things are messy.

disorder ↗mayhemturmoil ↗confusion ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in chaos
  • throw something into chaos
  • descend into chaos
  • erupt into chaos
  • reign of chaos

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

From Greek khaos (χάος), meaning 'void, abyss, empty space' — in ancient Greek cosmology, the formless state that existed before the creation of the universe. The word passed into Latin as chaos, then into English, where its original sense of 'formless void' gradually shifted to 'complete confusion and disorder' by the 1600s.