unfulfilled

adjective

un·​ful·​filled ˌən-fu̇(l)-ˈfild 

also -fə(l)-

: not fulfilled:

a

: not filled : unsatisfied, unmet

… vital unfulfilled needs of the nation …

—Harry S. Truman

b

: not carried out : not accomplished or finished

unfulfilled goals

unfulfilled shipments

c

: not converted into reality

an unfulfilled promise

d

: not having reached a point of satisfaction or happiness

… a family that includes a supportive yet equally unfulfilled wife …

—Matt Roush

Examples of unfulfilled in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From the unfulfilled promise of 40 acres and a mule, to modern-day reparations proposals, initiatives to address the legacy of slavery are entering a new era of political uncertainty. — Fatima Hussein, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026

From the unfulfilled promise of 40 acres and a mule, to modern day reparations proposals, initiatives to address the legacy of slavery are entering a new era of political uncertainty. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

The polling firm’s subsequent reports describe a steady deterioration in sentiment as the months passed and expectations of a democratic transition remains unfulfilled. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

The promise of American socialism is still unfulfilled, but this is a country in which almost anything can be resisted, rethought, and reinvented. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unfulfilled

• backfilled
• distilled
• fulfilled
• infilled
• instilled
• rebuild
• refilled
• unfilled
• unskilled
• untilled
• billed
• build