Standard Lemma guide

shambolic

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ʃamˈbɒlɪk/
  • General-American: shăm(')bŏlʹĭk
  • General-American: /(ˌ)ʃæmˈbɑlɪk/
  • Australian: /ʃæmˈbɔlɪk/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒlɪk

1

adj

Meaning 1

Chaotic, disorganised or mismanaged.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Commonwealth, Ireland, UK

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective

Meaning 2

(British slang) disorderly or chaotic

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it's a shambolic system

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Possibly from shambles + -o- + -ic (adjective), in which the interconsonantal -o- avoids the /mbl/ consonant cluster. Possibly influenced by symbolic. Alternatively, possibly a blend of shambles + symbolic.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Galician: caótico — chaotic
  • Hungarian: kusza — chaotic
  • Hungarian: kaotikus — chaotic
  • Māori: kūnakunaku — chaotic
  • Māori: kaumingomingo — chaotic
  • Portuguese: caótico — chaotic
  • Spanish: caótico — chaotic