adj

unfinished

uhn-FIH-nihsht

adj

Not completed; still in progress.

"He left the novel unfinished when he died."

"There's unfinished business between us that we need to sort out."

Of wood or a surface: not sanded, painted, coated, or otherwise finished.

"The furniture arrived unfinished, so we sanded and stained it ourselves."

How to Use Unfinished

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishNot yet completed, or (for materials) not yet given a final surface treatment.

Common pairings

unfinished business unfinished manuscript unfinished wood

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

He left the novel _____ when he died.

From un- + finished.

fished famished vanished polished punished finished banished cherished furnished published nourished anguished