incomplete

American  

[in-kuhm-pleet] / ˌɪn kəmˈplit /

adjective

1. not complete; lacking some part.

   Synonyms:

   fragmentary, partial, unfinished

2. Football. (of a forward pass) not completed; not caught by a receiver.

3. Engineering. noting a truss the panel points of which are not entirely connected so as to form a system of triangles.

4. Logic, Philosophy.

   1. (of an expression or symbol) meaningful only in a specific context.

   2. (of a set of axioms) such that there is at least one true proposition (able to be formulated in terms of the basic ideas of a given system) that is not deducible from the set.

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noun

1. Education. a temporary grade indicating that a student has not fulfilled one or more of the essential requirements for a course.

   If I don't hand in my term paper for last semester's English course, the professor is going to change my incomplete to an F.

incomplete British  

/ ˌɪnkəmˈpliːt /

adjective

1. not complete or finished

2. not completely developed; imperfect

3. logic

   1. (of a formal theory) not so constructed that the addition of a non-theorem to the axioms renders it inconsistent

   2. (of an expression) not having a reference of its own but requiring completion by another expression

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Other Word Forms

• incompletely adverb
• incompleteness noun
• subincomplete adjective

Etymology

Origin of incomplete

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word incomplētus. See in- ³, complete

Example Sentences

Local commanders acting with incomplete information may strike unintended targets, including neighbouring states that had sought neutrality.

From BBC

When her suitor mistakes the blood for an injury, it soon becomes clear that his expensive education was somewhat incomplete.

From Barron's

The discovery helps fill gaps in South America's incomplete record of ancient impact events.

From Science Daily

State records show that in 2024 the county violated rules by submitting data that was “incomplete, inaccurate, or inconsistent.”

From Los Angeles Times

He resigned in 2021 amid a U.K. regulatory investigation, which concluded he provided an incomplete picture of his relationship with Epstein.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• deficient
• fragmentary
• inadequate
• insufficient
• lacking
• partial
• sketchy