unfinished

unfinished — adjective

1. An unfinished task, project, or creative work has been started but not brought t

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

An unfinished task, project, or creative work has been started but not brought to a state of completion — it still needs more work, effort, or time before it is done.

Example

Ignacio left the report unfinished on his desk when the fire alarm went off.

leave + object + unfinished

The old stone church still has an unfinished bell tower that was never completed.

attributive: unfinished + noun

Common collocations
  • unfinished work
  • unfinished project
  • unfinished novel
  • unfinished painting
  • unfinished building
  • unfinished homework
  • unfinished meal
Synonyms
  • incomplete

    more formal; suggests essential parts are missing rather than work stopping

  • half-done

    informal; used in everyday conversation about tasks

  • undone

    common for chores or obligations; implies nothing has been done at all in some uses

  • pending

    formal; suggests the task is waiting for a decision or further action

Antonyms
  • finished

    the direct opposite; fully completed

  • complete

    all necessary parts are present and done

Grammar Patterns

unfinished + noun

be/lie/remain unfinished

leave + object + unfinished

Common Mistakes

The builders said the house is yet unfinished.
The builders said the house is still unfinished.
In modern English, 'still unfinished' is the natural collocation; 'yet unfinished' sounds outdated or overly formal.

2. If a disagreement, argument, or emotional matter remains unfinished, the people

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

If a disagreement, argument, or emotional matter remains unfinished, the people involved have not yet found a way to settle it or reach an agreement about it.

Example

After their divorce, Eli and Beatrix still had unfinished business over the family house.

fixed phrase: unfinished business

The committee left several unfinished items on the agenda for the next meeting.

Common collocations
  • unfinished business
  • unfinished matter
  • unfinished agenda item
Synonyms
  • unresolved

    more common in formal and legal contexts; suggests no conclusion has been reached

  • unsettled

    implies lingering discomfort or lack of finality; used for debts or emotional matters

  • pending

    suggests the matter is waiting for a decision or action

Antonyms
  • resolved

    the matter has been dealt with and decided

  • settled

    both the decision and emotional closure have been achieved

Grammar Patterns

unfinished business

unfinished matter

leave something unfinished

Usage Note

This sense appears most often in the fixed expression 'unfinished business,' which refers to an emotional or practical matter that still needs to be dealt with before closure is reached. It is less common in other noun phrases.

Common Mistakes

The court case remains unfinished' (when meaning 'not resolved').
The court case remains unresolved.
For legal and official contexts, 'unresolved' or 'pending' is more idiomatic than 'unfinished.'

3. An unfinished surface, especially of wood, stone, metal, or cloth, has not been

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

An unfinished surface, especially of wood, stone, metal, or cloth, has not been polished, painted, varnished, or otherwise treated, so it keeps its natural, coarse texture.

Example

Beatrix chose an unfinished wooden shelf so she could paint it herself.

attributive: unfinished + material

Christopher ran his hand along the unfinished stone wall, feeling every rough edge.

Common collocations
  • unfinished wood
  • unfinished furniture
  • unfinished surface
  • unfinished wall
  • unfinished metal
  • unfinished cloth
Synonyms
  • raw

    suggests the material is in its natural, untreated state; broader than 'unfinished'

  • unpolished

    specifically about surfaces that have not been rubbed smooth; more common for metal or stone

  • rough

    focuses on the texture rather than the lack of treatment; can describe any coarse surface

Antonyms
  • finished

    the surface has been treated, polished, or painted

  • polished

    the surface has been made smooth and shiny

  • varnished

    wood that has been coated with a clear protective layer

Grammar Patterns

unfinished + material/object

be sold/finished/left unfinished

Usage Note

Commonly used for wood furniture, pottery, walls, or handmade objects whose original grain, texture, or natural colour is still visible. In home-improvement contexts, unfinished furniture is sold specifically for buyers who want to apply their own finish.

Common Mistakes

The kitchen floor felt cold because it was unfinished.
The kitchen floor felt cold because it was tiled, not wooden.
'Unfinished' refers to lack of surface treatment, not lack of a finished material. Cold floors are a different issue.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words all describe something that is not finished, but they differ in formality and the reason for incompleteness. 'Unfinished' (B1) is the most general and neutral word — it simply means the work stopped before completion ('an unfinished painting,' 'unfinished homework'). 'Incomplete' (B2) is more formal and suggests that essential parts are missing rather than just needing more time; it is common in academic and technical contexts ('incomplete application form,' 'incomplete set of data'). 'Half-done' (B1, informal) is a conversational term for tasks that are noticeably only halfway through ('the half-done renovation made the kitchen unusable'). 'Undone' (B2) is often used for chores, obligations, or tasks that have not even been started ('the laundry remained undone'). Choose 'unfinished' for general use, 'incomplete' where parts are absent, 'half-done' for casual talk, and 'undone' for unattended tasks.

unfinished ↗incomplete ↗half-doneundone

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • still unfinished
  • left unfinished
  • remained unfinished
  • deliberately unfinished

Phrases

  • unfinished business

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed in English by adding the negative prefix 'un-' to 'finished,' which came from Middle English 'finen' (to end), borrowed from Old French 'finir,' ultimately from Latin 'finire' (to limit, end, finish), from 'finis' (end, boundary, limit). The word has been in use since the 1500s, with the sense of 'rough surface' emerging alongside craft and trade terminology.