unfinished

USAGE SUMMARY

"unfinished" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to describe something that has yet to be finished, for example: "The unfinished painting hung on the wall, its true potential still waiting to be revealed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Arts

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Some 750,000 on strike and playing for unbelievably high stakes, a government pledged to complete unfinished Tory business – and still, a deathly cultural quiet.

The Guardian - Opinion

Twenty-two people are crammed into an unfinished house donated by a local businessman, who loaned out the tiny, windowless building when he saw her and a group of fellow refugees sleeping rough in the streets.

The Guardian

"I feel I've got a bit of unfinished business with England and also repaying people's trust and the work people have put in with me in the last four months," he said.

The Guardian - Sport

A century later, this remains unfinished business, and so a legislature based on feudal patronage goes on.

The Guardian - Opinion

It's always messy and unfinished, but I've started to love the job of management too, though I've had to keep that quiet, and still do.

The Guardian

His central contention – that the recovery is not reaching enough people and is not matched by a general improvement in quality of life – is a powerful riposte to the principal Tory claims regarding the economy, competence and unfinished business.

The Guardian - Opinion

And although the complicated vote-counting process remains unfinished, in the new Senate, which starts next July, Abbott now appears likely to need all or most of between six and eight non-Green crossbench votes to pass legislation.

The Guardian

As well as leaving the Large Glass unfinished, Duchamp left papers about unrealised projects.

The Guardian - Arts

The very last line of Playing To Win, the account of Hawthorn's 2013 premiership, was a quote from Roughead about them having unfinished business.

The Guardian - Sport

These solutions are just one aspect of a much larger, unfinished conversation about how to preserve today's digital content for the future.

The Guardian

Craske's widow gave the Dunkirk embroidery, which she regarded as his masterpiece despite the poignant patch of bare unfinished canvas in the sky, to the Norwich Castle museum.

The Guardian - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing projects or tasks, use "unfinished" to clearly indicate that work remains to be done. For example, "The artist left several canvases unfinished."

Common error

Avoid using "unfinished" when you actually mean "unfinished business," which refers to unresolved issues or tasks, especially in a professional or personal context. "Unfinished" simply describes something that is not complete.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "unfinished" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something that is not complete, whether it be a task, project, or object. Ludwig provides many examples of this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Arts

14%

Sport

9%

Less common in

Books

6%

Business

4%

Travel

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unfinished" functions as an adjective denoting incompleteness, and it is widely used across various contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. While it is generally neutral in tone, paying attention to context is key, especially to not be confused with related phrases like "unfinished business". With its frequent appearance in news, arts, and sports reporting, mastering the use of "unfinished" enhances clarity and precision in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Incomplete

Emphasizes the state of not being whole or lacking necessary parts.

Uncompleted

Directly indicates that something has not been brought to a conclusion.

Half-finished

Explicitly states that something is only partially completed.

Partially done

Highlights that a portion of the task or project has been accomplished.

In progress

Focuses on the ongoing nature of the work, rather than its lack of completion.

Under construction

Suggests active building or development that is not yet finalized.

Unresolved

Indicates that an issue or problem has not been settled or decided.

Outstanding

Implies that something remains to be done or completed.

Deficient

Highlights a lack or shortage, implying incompleteness.

Unrealized

Suggests that something has not been brought into being or made real.

FAQs

How to use "unfinished" in a sentence?

You can use "unfinished" to describe something that is not complete. For instance, "The architect presented the unfinished blueprints to the committee."

What can I say instead of "unfinished"?

You can use alternatives such as "incomplete", "uncompleted", or "partially done" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "unfinished" or "unfinish"?

"Unfinished" is the correct adjective form. "Unfinish" is not a standard English word. Always use "unfinished" to describe something not completed.

What's the difference between "unfinished" and "incomplete"?

While both indicate a lack of completion, "unfinished" often implies that work has begun but not been finalized, whereas "incomplete" can refer to something that lacks essential parts or steps.