# done

/ˈdən/ (US) · /dˈʌn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/done
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. finished

adjective · CEFR A2

finished or completed.

For teachers: having reached the end of a task or process; completed.

- I will go for a walk as soon as my homework is done.
- Once the final report is done, the committee will present its findings to the board of directors for a final vote.

Usage: Usually used after the verb 'to be'.

### 2. fully cooked

adjective · CEFR A2

cooked enough to be eaten.

For teachers: cooked to the required or desired degree.

- Check the chicken with a fork to see if it is done.
- The chef insisted that the steak was done, despite the customer's complaint that the centre remained slightly too rare for their preference.

Usage: Often used in the question 'Is it done yet?'.

### 3. exhausted

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

too tired or annoyed to continue with something.

For teachers: physically exhausted or mentally depleted; often used to express a refusal to tolerate a situation further.

- I have been working for twelve hours and I am just done.
- After the third technical failure in an hour, the lead developer declared she was done and walked out of the server room.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'I am done'.

Teaching tip: In modern slang, 'I am so done' often implies being fed up with someone's behaviour rather than just being tired.

### 4. socially acceptable

adjective · CEFR C1 · British English · Formal

socially acceptable or fashionable.

For teachers: conforming to social standards of behaviour or fashion.

- In some formal offices, wearing jeans is simply not the done thing.
- He quickly realised that questioning the host's political views was simply not done in such conservative social circles.

Usage: Usually used in the negative 'it is not done'.

Teaching tip: This is a somewhat old-fashioned or upper-class way to describe social etiquette.

### 5. past participle of do

verb · CEFR A2

the form of the verb 'do' used with 'have' or 'has'.

For teachers: the past participle of the irregular verb 'do'.

- She has done a lot of work to improve her English this year.
- The research team has done extensive field work to ensure the data reflects the actual conditions of the habitat.

Usage: Requires an auxiliary verb like 'have', 'has', or 'had' in standard English.

## Examples

- I am finally done with my homework.
- Once the paint is dry and the furniture is moved back, the room will be done.
- The project was considered done only after the final safety inspection was passed and the keys were handed over to the new owners.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.