[en] We show that the rich mode-locking structure observed in overdamped charge-density-wave (CDW) systems can be understood in terms of a simple model of driven damped 'particles' without inertia in a non-sinusoidal periodic potential. The analysis shows that the nonchaotic system of a driven overdamped CDW without inertia in general has a 'close-to-chaotic' behavior in an appropriate frequency range. Our results also provide a natural basis for studies of spatially extended CDW systems. (orig.)