unfinished

American  

[uhn-fin-isht] / ʌnˈfɪn ɪʃt /

adjective

1. not finished; finished; incomplete or unaccomplished.

2. lacking some special finish or surface treatment, as polish, paint, etc.

3. (of cloth) not sheared following the looming process.

4. (of worsted) given a slight nap.

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unfinished British  

/ ʌnˈfɪnɪʃt /

adjective

1. incomplete or imperfect

2. (of paint, polish, varnish, etc) without an applied finish; rough

3. (of fabric) unbleached or not processed

4. (of fabric) with a short nap

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Other Word Forms

• unfinishedness noun

Etymology

Origin of unfinished

First recorded in 1530–40; un- ¹ + finished

Example Sentences

His parting message was about unfinished business at the Fed.

From Barron's

The belief that your brain is still unfinished can make uncertainty feel normal.

From Science Daily

The Cubs begin their season next week with the motivation that they have “unfinished business.”

From Los Angeles Times

On a sticky Delhi afternoon in the late 1980s, a group of architecture students loiter, argue and dream their way through a city that seems permanently unfinished.

From BBC

Before running out the door, she tells Dad the four of us will be sleeping in the basement, which is part laundry room, part guest room, and mostly unfinished storage space.

From Literature

Related Words

• bare
• incomplete
• unadorned
• undeveloped
• unfulfilled