Something unfinished is incomplete or not yet done. An unfinished puzzle sits on the table with pieces still scattered around, waiting for someone to fit them together. An unfinished story ends mid-sentence, leaving readers wondering what happens next.

The word often describes work in progress. A carpenter might have unfinished furniture in her workshop: chairs that still need sanding, tables waiting for varnish, or cabinets missing their doors. Artists sometimes leave paintings deliberately unfinished, showing rough sketches beneath the painted sections. Beethoven left his Tenth Symphony unfinished when he died, with only fragments written down.

Unfinished doesn't always mean abandoned or forgotten. Your homework might be unfinished simply because you're still working on it. A building under construction is unfinished but actively being completed. The word just means the work isn't done yet.

Sometimes unfinished describes something rough or raw. Unfinished wood hasn't been sanded smooth or coated with a protective finish. Unfinished business refers to matters that still need attention or resolution, like an argument that ended without anyone apologizing, or a promise someone hasn't kept yet.