project

noun proj·ect \ ˈprä-ˌjekt , -jikt also ˈprō- \

Definition of project

1 :a specific plan or design :scheme

2 obsolete :idea

3 :a planned undertaking: such as

a :a definitely formulated piece of research

b :a large usually government-supported undertaking

c :a task or problem engaged in usually by a group of students to supplement and apply classroom studies

4 :a usually public housing development consisting of houses or apartments built and arranged according to a single plan

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See project defined for kids

Examples of project in a Sentence

an ambitious project to develop the city's waterfront

Recent Examples of project from the Web

The jump was driven by two massive infrastructure projects, purchases of equipment fueled by a stronger ruble, as well as a law pushing retailers to invest in new cash registers – all of which are temporary.

— anna andrianova, Bloomberg.com, "What Jolted Russia's Investments Is About to Fizzle Out," 30 Aug. 2017
All proceeds are redistributed to the community through Kiwanis projects.

— elizabeth marie himchak, Rancho Bernardo, "Kiwanians to hold 49th annual pancake breakfast on Saturday," 30 Aug. 2017
This was Aug. 19, her first day working on the project. Hoisting a large, red umbrella,

— ruth sowby, Glendale News-Press, "On the Town: Bingo night sells out, raises funds for veterans’ programs," 29 Aug. 2017
In January, 2017 — before Trump’s inauguration — physician Khaled Almilaji spent a week in Syria to check on his many humanitarian projects, leaving his pregnant wife Jehan behind in the United States.

— krista stevens, Longreads, "On Syrian Doctors and Borders: America’s Loss is Canada’s Gain," 29 Aug. 2017
Future plans for the campaign include a panel at the Salt Lake Comic Con next month, said B. J. Nicholls, the social media coordinator for the project.

— asher elbein, New York Times, "Utah Paleontologists Turn to Crowdfunding for Raptor Project," 28 Aug. 2017
South Shore Arts provides an instructor and art supplies for both projects.

— meredith colias, Post-Tribune, "South Shore Arts receives grant to expand projects," 28 Aug. 2017
The project is split into six phases to minimize passenger disruptions and is expected to be completed by next spring.

— alexander coolidge, Cincinnati.com, "CVG begins $6 million makeover of terminal, concourse, ticketing and baggage areas," 28 Aug. 2017
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has insisted that Mexico will not pay for the project, and Trump himself appeared resigned to that during a private call with his counterpart.

— bess levin, The Hive, "Delusional White House Employee Still Thinks Mexico Might Pay for the Wall," 24 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'project.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of project

Middle English projecte, from Medieval Latin projectum, from Latin, neuter of projectus, past participle of proicere to throw forward, from pro- + jacere to throw — more at jet

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First Known Use: 15th century

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project Synonyms

Synonyms

arrangement, blueprint, design, game, game plan, ground plan, master plan, program, plan, road map, scheme, strategy, system

Related Words

collusion, conspiracy, plot; contrivance, device, gambit, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, subterfuge, trick; counterplan, counterstrategy; means, tactic, technique, way; procedure, protocol; conception, idea, projet, proposal, specific (s), specification (s); aim, intent, intention, purpose; diagram, formula, layout, map, pattern, platform, policy, recipe, setup

Synonym Discussion of project

plan, design, plot, scheme, project mean a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end. plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

- plans for a house

design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

- a design for a new dress

plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

- the plot of the play

scheme stresses calculation of the end in view and may apply to a plan motivated by craftiness and self-interest.

- a scheme to defraud the government

project often stresses imaginative scope and vision.

- a project to develop the waterfront

project

verb pro·ject \ prə-ˈjekt \

Definition of project

transitive verb

1 a :to devise in the mind :design

b :to plan, figure, or estimate for the future

2 :to throw or cast forward :thrust

3 :to put or set forth :present for consideration

4 :to cause to jut out

5 :to cause (light or shadow) to fall into space or (an image) to fall on a surface

6 :to reproduce (something, such as a point, line, or area) on a surface by motion in a prescribed direction

7 :to display outwardly especially to an audience

8 :to attribute (one's own ideas, feelings, or characteristics) to other people or to objects

a nation is an entity on which one can project many of the worst of one's instincts
—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

intransitive verb

1 :to jut out :protrude

2 a :to come across vividly :give an impression

b :to make oneself heard clearly

—

projectable

play \-ˈjek-tə-bəl\ adjective

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Examples of project in a Sentence

He projected next year's costs as being slightly higher than this year's.
It's difficult to project funding needs so far into the future.
an athlete who projects a positive image to young people
We need an actor who projects a tough-guy image.

Recent Examples of project from the Web

Those who still had vouchers would have to pay at least 17 percent more of their income toward rent, the article projected.

— gary warth, sandiegouniontribune.com, "New plan could increase voucher value in higher-rent areas," 28 Aug. 2017
Meredith projected to be the quarterback's security blanket, the big target with good hands who could reliably make plays over the middle and always be in the right spot.

— brad biggs, chicagotribune.com, "Cameron Meredith's injury leaves Bears even thinner at wide receiver," 27 Aug. 2017
Harvey is projected to drop up to 3 feet (0.91 meter) of rain in some places over the next several days.

— Bloomberg.com, "URGENT: The Latest: Hurricane Harvey Strengthens to Category 4," 25 Aug. 2017
Traditionally, top political figures are coached to project calm about the debt ceiling for fear of spooking investors.

— james hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Hurricane Harvey will be Trump’s first major natural disaster test," 25 Aug. 2017
Regardless of whether the election(s) pass or not, the district does not project a tax rate increase at all.

— marice richter photos by robert peacock, star-telegram, "Listen and learn," 23 Aug. 2017
Mr. Mattis, for his part, has advised Mr. Trump to project strength and resolve.

— glenn thrush and peter baker, New York Times, "Trump Threats Are Wild Card in Showdown With North Korea," 12 Aug. 2017
Under the current immigration laws, the Pew Research Center projects the working-age population will increase through 2065 by nearly as much, about 30 million.

— ronald brownstein, The Atlantic, "Trump's Immigration Agenda Makes a Fundamental Miscalculation," 10 Aug. 2017
For example, viewers can use pinhole cameras cut out of paper or made with their hands to project the image of the eclipse onto the ground to look at without eye protection.

— ben panko, Smithsonian, "Use This App to Get the Most from the Coming Eclipse," 9 Aug. 2017

Origin and Etymology of project

Anglo-French projecter, from Latin projectus, past participle

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

project Synonyms

Synonyms

bag, balloon, beetle, belly, billow, bunch, jut, overhang, poke, pooch [chiefly dialect], pouch, pout, bulge, protrude, stand out, start, stick out, swell

Related Words

dome; blow up, inflate; dilate, distend, expand; mushroom, snowball; elongate, extend, lengthen, stretch

Near Antonyms

compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink

PROJECT Defined for English Language Learners

project

noun

Definition of project for English Language Learners

: a planned piece of work that has a specific purpose (such as to find information or to make something new) and that usually requires a lot of time
: a task or problem in school that requires careful work over a long period of time

project

verb

Definition of project for English Language Learners

: to plan, calculate, or estimate (something) for a time in the future
: to cause (light, a picture, a movie, etc.) to appear on a surface
: to have or show (a particular quality, image, etc., that can be seen by other people)

PROJECT Defined for Kids

project

noun proj·ect \ ˈprä-ˌjekt , -jikt \

Definition of project for Students

1 :a plan or scheme to do something

home improvement projects

2 :a task or problem in school that requires work over a period of time and is often displayed or presented

a science project

3 :a group of houses or apartment buildings built according to a single plan

project

verb pro·ject \ prə-ˈjekt \

Definition of project for Students

projected; projecting

1 :to stick out

The rock projected above the ground.

2 :to cause to fall on a surface

The machine projects motion pictures on a screen.

3 :to send or throw forward

Word Root of project

The Latin word jacere, meaning “to throw,” and its form jactus give us the root ject. Words from the Latin jacere have something to do with throwing. To reject is to throw back or away. To eject is to throw out. To inject is to throw one thing into another. To project is to throw forward onto a surface.