Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

half-finished

British  

adjective

  1. only partially completed

    a half-finished jigsaw puzzle

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Once passionate about art studies, Clare abandoned a half-finished dissertation to become a parent and now finds that the thrill she once felt about fine paintings is gone.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 5, 2026

And when you try to do all three at once, it’s very easy to lose momentum and end up surrounded by a constellation of half-finished projects.

From Salon Mar. 19, 2026

The sun is setting over Ilubirin, a half-finished housing estate being constructed on sand-filled land reclaimed from the swampy Lagos lagoon.

From Barron's Dec. 22, 2025

The 69-year-old still remembers the first time he stepped into the half-finished Opera House, as a wide-eyed child.

From BBC Jun. 21, 2025

This room doesn't feel occupied; the bed is piled with a half-finished sewing project.

From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training