done: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A1Neutral to informal; widely used across all registers.
Quick answer
What does “done” mean?
Past participle of 'do', indicating completion of an action.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Past participle of 'do', indicating completion of an action.
Can function as an adjective meaning 'finished', 'cooked', 'socially acceptable', or 'exhausted'. Also used in various idiomatic expressions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Be done with' is slightly more common in AmE. BrE may use 'have done' more in formal writing.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties. 'Done' as an adjective for 'cooked' is standard in both.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both varieties with no significant disparity.
Grammar
How to Use “done” in a Sentence
[be] done (with sth/sb)[have] done sth[get] sth done[consider] sth doneVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “done” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She hasn't done the washing up yet.
- Have you done with the newspaper?
American English
- He's already done his taxes.
- Are you done using the computer?
adverb
British English
- He's done well for himself in the City.
- That's over and done with, thankfully.
American English
- You've done good, kid.
- Let's get this deal done by Friday.
adjective
British English
- The potatoes need to be done for another ten minutes.
- It's just not done to arrive so early.
American English
- Is the chicken done? I don't want it undercooked.
- After that workout, I am completely done.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The report is done and ready for review." Indicates task completion.
Academic
"Once the experiment was done, we analysed the data." Used formally as a participle.
Everyday
"I'm done with my homework. Let's go out." Very common for personal tasks.
Technical
Rare in pure technical jargon; more common in project management contexts (e.g., "phase one is done").
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “done”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “done”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “done”
- Using 'done' as a main verb without an auxiliary (e.g., 'I done it' instead of 'I have done it' or 'I did it').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is perfectly correct and common, meaning 'I have finished'.
'I did it' places the action firmly in the past. 'I have done it' connects the completed action to the present moment or result.
Yes, especially when referring to food (e.g., 'Is the steak done?').
It can be, as it expresses a final termination of a relationship or conversation, often implying frustration.
Past participle of 'do', indicating completion of an action.
Done is usually neutral to informal; widely used across all registers. in register.
Done: in British English it is pronounced /dʌn/, and in American English it is pronounced /dʌn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “done and dusted”
- “easier said than done”
- “what's done is done”
- “have done with it”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an oven timer DING! The food is DONE. Both have the 'D' and 'N' sounds.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPLETION IS A LOCATION ("I'm done with this chapter" = I have arrived at the end of it).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'done' used as an adjective?