incomplete
adjective
in·com·plete ˌin-kəm-ˈplēt 
1
: not complete : unfinished: such as
a
: lacking a usually necessary part, element, or step
spoke in incomplete sentences
an incomplete set of golf clubs
an incomplete diet
b
of protein : deficient in one or more essential amino acids
People used to think you needed to eat incomplete proteins together in the same meal to make up a complete protein, but that view has been debunked; simply eat a variety of plant-based protein sources throughout the day and you'll be fine.
Katherine Hobson
Katherine Hobson c
: lacking one or more sets of floral organs
an incomplete flower without stamens
2
of a football pass : not legally caught
3
of insect metamorphosis : characterized by the absence of a pupal stage between the immature stages and the adult of an insect in which the young usually resemble the adult compare complete sense 6
incompletely adverb
incompleteness noun
Synonyms
- deficient
- fragmental
- fragmentary
- half
- halfway
- partial
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
an incomplete set of encyclopedias She handed in an incomplete assignment.
Recent Examples on the Web Tagovailoa threw deep and incomplete to fullback Alec Ingold. Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2022 These important disclosures are still often overlooked or incomplete. Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2022 Still, a potential shortcoming of the NWF map is it’s broad and incomplete, Diboll pointed out. Jennifer Rude Klett, Journal Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2022 This requires a quick — and therefore possibly incomplete or incorrect — assessment of your fellow diners. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 But the chronology of events makes clear that the search took place only after other options to recover classified documents from the home had been incomplete or unsuccessful. Eric Tucker, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 But their data was haphazard and incomplete, largely relying on an anonymous Twitter account called @gundeaths that tweeted local news stories of gun violence. Eric Levenson, CNN, 14 Aug. 2022 Carvalho acknowledged recently that academic achievement is lagging as students are challenged by what experts call unfinished or incomplete learning from the pandemic years. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2022 But to make these discoveries, the researchers have sequenced full-length RNA genomes; defective or incomplete viral genomes can complicate analyses, so they are typically ignored or discarded. John Yin, Scientific American, 29 July 2022 See More
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2022 These important disclosures are still often overlooked or incomplete. Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2022 Still, a potential shortcoming of the NWF map is it’s broad and incomplete, Diboll pointed out. Jennifer Rude Klett, Journal Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2022 This requires a quick — and therefore possibly incomplete or incorrect — assessment of your fellow diners. Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 But the chronology of events makes clear that the search took place only after other options to recover classified documents from the home had been incomplete or unsuccessful. Eric Tucker, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Aug. 2022 But their data was haphazard and incomplete, largely relying on an anonymous Twitter account called @gundeaths that tweeted local news stories of gun violence. Eric Levenson, CNN, 14 Aug. 2022 Carvalho acknowledged recently that academic achievement is lagging as students are challenged by what experts call unfinished or incomplete learning from the pandemic years. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2022 But to make these discoveries, the researchers have sequenced full-length RNA genomes; defective or incomplete viral genomes can complicate analyses, so they are typically ignored or discarded. John Yin, Scientific American, 29 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English incompleet, from Late Latin incompletus, from Latin in- + completus complete
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
incomplete
adjective
in·com·plete ˌin-kəm-ˈplēt
: not finished : not complete
Medical Definition
incomplete
adjective
in·com·plete ˌin-kəm-ˈplēt
1
of insect metamorphosis : having no pupal stage between the immature stages and the adult with the young insect usually resembling the adult compare complete sense 1
2
of a bone fracture : not broken entirely across compare complete sense 2
3
of a protein : deficient in one or more essential amino acids compare complete sense 3
4
: characterized by incomplete dominance
an incomplete trait
incomplete
adjective
as in unfinished
lacking some necessary part an incomplete puzzle that has several pieces missing Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- unfinished
- deficient
- partial
- fragmentary
- flawed
- fragmental
- imperfect
- damaged
- half
- halfway
- marred
- injured
- spoiled
- uncompleted
- impaired
- broken
- sketchy
- unassembled
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- complete
- full
- entire
- perfect
- whole
- intact
- integral
- flawless
- unbroken
- undamaged
- unimpaired
- finished
- uninjured
- unmarred
- completed