done

American  

[duhn] / dʌn /

verb

1. past participle of do.

2. Nonstandard. a simple past tense of do.

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auxiliary verb

1. Nonstandard: South Midland and Southern U.S. (used with a principal verb in the past or, sometimes, present tense to indicate completed action).

   I done told you so. He done eat his lunch.

adjective

1. completed; finished; through.

   Our work is done.

2. cooked sufficiently.

3. worn out; exhausted; used up.

4. in conformity with fashion, good taste, or propriety; acceptable.

   It isn't done.

idioms

1. be / have done with, to break off relations or connections with; stop.

2. done for,

   1. tired; exhausted.

   2. deprived of one's means, position, etc.

   3. dead or close to death.

3. done in, very tired; exhausted.

   He was really done in after a close race.

done British  

/ dʌn /

verb

1. the past participle of do 1

2. to end relations with

3. to be completely finished

   have you done?

4. 1. an exclamation of frustration when something is ruined

   2. an exclamation when something is completed

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interjection

1. an expression of agreement, as on the settlement of a bargain between two parties

adjective

1. completed; finished

2. cooked enough

   done to a turn

3. used up

   they had to surrender when the ammunition was done

4. socially proper or acceptable

   that isn't done in higher circles

5. informal cheated; tricked

6. informal

   1. dead or almost dead

   2. in serious difficulty

7. informal physically exhausted

done More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing done

• do
• easier said than done
• good as done
• have done (with)
• no sooner said (than done)
• not done
• over and done with
• seen one, seen them all (been there, done that)
• what's done is done
• when all's said and done

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Usage

In the adjectival sense “completed, finished, through,” done dates from the 14th century and is entirely standard: Is your portrait done yet?

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• half-done
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of done

First recorded before 900, for the adjective

Explanation

Something that's done is finished, through, or over — it's no longer happening. If your final research paper is done, you've completed it. You might announce at your high school graduation that you're done with school, or listen to your sister practicing the drums and hope she'll be done before bedtime. When food is described as done it means "ready to eat" or "thoroughly cooked." Many Thanksgiving feasts have to wait until the turkey is done. If you're "done for" in a video game, you're just about to die — your fate is sealed.

Example Sentences

One of the pilots was heard asking why the fuel supply had been cut off, and the other pilot responded that he hadn’t done it.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

It slows its descent and guides itself with pinpoint precision so it can be captured by a clasp called Mechazilla, or "the chopsticks", by engineers who have achieved something that's never been done before.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

“Someone who both has the vision and the understanding of how to get projects done that would make our city safe and beautiful.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

“He’s certainly, in relative terms, underpriced for all that he’s done for the team,” said Jonathan Boyar, principal at the Boyar Value Group and a longtime investor in MSG Sports.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

I know I’ve been a bit distracted, but for the most part I’ve been getting my work done.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam