incompletément

Incompletément is a French adverb meaning “in an incomplete manner” or “partially”. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that an action, state, or quality is not carried out fully or is only partially realized. The term is formed from the adjective incomplet (“incomplete”) with the adverbial suffix ‑ment, following the regular pattern for creating adverbs in French.

Grammatical usage of incompletément parallels that of other adverbs ending in ‑ment. It can precede a verb phrase (e.g., « Il a expliqué le problème incompletément »), follow the verb in literary style (e.g., « Le rapport fut rédigé incompletément »), or qualify adjectives and other adverbs (e.g., « Une réponse incompletément satisfaisante »). The adverb does not agree in gender or number, as is typical for adverbial forms.

Incompletément is less common than synonyms such as « partiellement » or « de façon incomplète », and its usage is often found in formal, academic, or technical contexts where precision about the degree of completeness is required. The term appears in linguistic analyses, legal texts, and scientific reports to qualify data, arguments, or procedures that lack full coverage.

Related French adverbs include partiellement, partiellement, et insuffisamment, each conveying a slightly different nuance of incompleteness. In English, the direct equivalent is “incompletely”, though “partially” is more frequently used in everyday speech.