incomplete

1 of 2

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

handed in an incomplete assignment

b

of protein : deficient in one or more essential amino acids

Lentils are an incomplete protein.

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

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

incompleteness

2 of 2

noun

in·​com·​plete·​ness

: the quality or state of being incomplete

Synonyms of incomplete

Adjective

• deficient
• partial
• unfinished
• fragmentary
• fragmental

Examples of incomplete in a Sentence

Adjective

an incomplete set of encyclopedias

She handed in an incomplete assignment.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Many nonprofits carry years of fragmented or incomplete records, a challenge that compounds when AI tools are layered on top of them. — Penta Rao Marapatla, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

The report found some shelter programs cost significantly more to operate than others, but due to incomplete and inconsistent data, auditors were unable to determine whether higher spending translated into better outcomes. — Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 24 June 2026

For Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, who fights back tears in the episodes, the experiment is incomplete. — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 24 June 2026

The authors said the study had limits, including that some patients may have gone to the hospital for reasons other than COVID-19, some vaccine records may have been incomplete, and low vaccination and hospitalization numbers limited some of the analysis. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 24 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English incompleet, from Late Latin incompletus, from Latin in- + completus complete

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for incomplete

• bittersweet
• indiscreet
• marguerite
• obsolete
• overeat
• overheat
• parakeet
• stillingfleet
• superheat
• amit
• athlete
• backseat

Kids Definition

incomplete

adjective

in·​com·​plete ˌin-kəm-ˈplēt 

: not complete : lacking some part

handed in an incomplete assignment

incompletely adverb

incompleteness noun

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