project

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

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: project in a Sentence

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

See project defined for English-language learners

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

Trump was objecting to Germany's acceptance of a new pipeline project that will bring more natural gas from Russia.

— calvin woodward and hope yen, chicagotribune.com, "Trump is in Europe and the truth is not with him: A fact check," 14 July 2018
Esh started as a tiny project in the back room of a converted tire warehouse.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Her circus business embraces the unconventional," 14 July 2018
According to a news release put out by the city, construction will begin soon on a new drainage project in the Natalie’s Cove and Flamingo Townhomes neighborhoods.

— emily bloch, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Flamingo Townhomes to undergo 'drainage improvement project'," 13 July 2018
Based in Plainview, N.Y., Renaissance Downtowns is involved in a mammoth project in the New York City suburb of New Rochelle to build more than 5,000 apartments as well as hotel rooms, office and commercial space.

— mike nolan, Daily Southtown, "3 firms compete to develop state-owned site in Tinley Park," 13 July 2018
Thousands of artifacts, including much of the Tutankhamen collection, have been transferred to the Grand Egyptian Museum, a spectacular $1 billion project being built near the Giza pyramids outside Cairo.

— declan walsh, New York Times, "Sarcophagus Found. Contents Unknown. (‘No Guessing, Please.’)," 13 July 2018
The discoloration was related to a construction project on Oakwood Boulevard and impacted homes from Michigan Avenue to Dartmouth Street and the Southfield Freeway to Grindley Park, the city said in a notice on its website.

— hasan dudar, Detroit Free Press, "Water lines cleared in Dearborn after brown water in faucets," 13 July 2018
Perez, a Columbus High School graduate, started developing the app in 2014 as a side project while working as an airline revenue management programmer.

— rob wile, miamiherald, "After mass shootings, schools turn to Miami-made app to keep out the bad guys," 13 July 2018
Like ripping off a scab’ The Sultan Jihad Ahmad Community Foundation is a project rooted in optimism.

— samantha melamed, Philly.com, "After 26 years working with at-risk teens, can a Philly couple forgive the one who killed their son?," 13 July 2018

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

project Synonyms

Synonyms

arrangement, blueprint, design, game, game plan, ground plan, master plan, plan, program, 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

projected; projecting; projects

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 \prə-ˈjek-tə-bəl\ adjective

See project defined for English-language learners

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

There has been a tendency in the industry to project current conditions into the future.

— Houston Chronicle, "Competition for top talent keeps pay scale high in oil industry," 13 July 2018
For Cruz partisans, the trick now could be how to project strength without seeming too overconfident.

— kevin diaz and jeremy wallace, San Antonio Express-News, "Beto O’Rourke sets new fundraising records," 12 July 2018
Despite some of his struggles, Britton, who didn't have a full offseason of training and missed two months of the regular season because of Achilles tendon surgery, is forcing evaluators to project his worth outside of Baltimore.

— jon meoli, baltimoresun.com, "As Zach Britton's trade value for Orioles improves, Brad Brach's spirals further," 10 July 2018
That is just the image the Russian president wants to project.

— anna arutunyan, Time, "No Matter What Happens in Helsinki, Putin Has Already Won," 10 July 2018
This time the stakes are even higher, as the allies seek to project strength and solidarity against Russian threats.

— New York Times, "Trump Poised to Enter NATO Meeting as Wild Card Among Allies," 9 July 2018
That served to cut off all views of the musicians entirely for many people in the back, because the stage wasn't tall enough and there wasn't a screen to project close-ups of the action on stage.

— erin richards, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Eaux Claires IV review: Day 1 music," 7 July 2018
The statistics are also used in forecasting models to project energy and water use.

— stephen singer, courant.com, "U.S.: In Connecticut, Personal Incomes Off To Strong Start In 2018," 21 June 2018
The site of the convention often serves as either a symbolic representation of where the party hopes to perform well in the presidential run or an area that represents certain values the party is looking to project.

— dan merica, CNN, "Exclusive: Democrats, anticipating heated primary, set earlier 2020 convention date," 15 June 2018

Origin and Etymology of project

Anglo-French projecter, from Latin projectus, past participle

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

project Synonyms

Synonyms

arrange, blueprint, budget, calculate, chart, choreograph, design, frame, lay out, map (out), organize, plan, prepare, scheme (out), shape, strategize (about);

concert, get up;

draft, outline, sketch;

aim, figure, have on, intend, mean;

contemplate, meditate, premeditate;

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.