incomplete

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparable

   Missing one or more necessary parts; not whole or finished.

   Grammar: Not usually used with 'very' or in the comparative; something is either incomplete or not.

   Patterns

   • incomplete without something
   • incomplete application
   • remain incomplete

   The application form was incomplete, so they returned it to me.

   Her collection of stamps is still incomplete; she is missing the 1920 issue.

   The report remained incomplete because the data was lost.

2. 2adjectivenot comparablesportAmerican

   In sports, not successfully completed, especially a forward pass that is not caught.

   Grammar: Used mainly in American football; can describe a pass or be used as a noun for the play.

   Patterns

   • an incomplete pass
   • the pass was incomplete

   The quarterback threw an incomplete pass on third down.

   That incomplete ended the team's chance to score.

Common combinations

incomplete without

A meal is incomplete without dessert.

incomplete application

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

incomplete information

We made the decision with incomplete information.

incomplete pass

The receiver dropped the ball, so it was an incomplete pass.

Synonyms and how they differ

unfinished

Unfinished suggests work has stopped and may continue later; incomplete stresses that parts are missing.

partial

Partial means only a part is present or done, often deliberately; incomplete suggests something necessary is lacking.

Opposites

Word family

incompletely adverb

In a way that is not complete.

incompleteness noun

The state of being incomplete.

complete adjective

Having all necessary parts; finished.

Commonly confused: incomplete or uncompleted?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “incomplete”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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