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project

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun project contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of project are design, plan, plot, and scheme. While all these words mean "a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end," project often stresses imaginative scope and vision.

a project to develop the waterfront

When would design be a good substitute for project?

Although the words design and project have much in common, design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

a design for a new dress

In what contexts can plan take the place of project?

The synonyms plan and project are sometimes interchangeable, but plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

plans for a house

When is plot a more appropriate choice than project?

The words plot and project are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

the plot of the play

When might scheme be a better fit than project?

In some situations, the words scheme and project are roughly equivalent. However, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of project
Noun
The mayor’s comments come as the project is set to be discussed at a Boston Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on Tuesday. Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025 Van Teutem took on the project after watching the prestige treadmill siphon talented, creative kids into trivial work—and then close the door behind them. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
That threshold is projected to be around $223 million for the 2026-27 league year. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025 As labor forces contract and retiree ranks swell, growth in major economies is projected to decline by at least 15 percent over the next quarter century, and for some, the hit will be several times worse. Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for project
Recent Examples of Synonyms for project
Noun
  • The Department of Agriculture's funding lapse plan was later removed from the agency's website.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The five cities are believed to be the first of more to come across ICE's 24 field offices nationwide, according to officials familiar with the plans.
    Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Spider-y lash extensions protruded from her lash line, reaching to the bottom of her brows; a thin wing of black liner was drawn from the outer corners of her eyes.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The protruding bracket behind the air guide appears to be a cable guide, and the box behind the cable guide is a three-drive cage.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • And rather than being designed in a Top Secret military facility—literally, Area 51, used for the U-2—at the expense of billions of taxpayer dollars, Planet’s doing it with around six hundred employees and hardly a security clearance in sight.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Malladi said Qualcomm would also sell its AI chips and other parts separately, especially for clients such as hyperscalers that prefer to design their own racks.
    Kif Leswing, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The group is building the first facility in Ottawa and plans to replicate the blueprint in cities throughout Canada.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Roan’s approach has changed the blueprint for tour-look development, marking a stark departure from the standard pop-star playbook followed by the likes of Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Madonna, who generally have one wardrobe for the entirety of their tour.
    Katie Weisman, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Tom Aspinall’s heavyweight title defense at UFC 321 ended in chaos after Ciryl Gane accidentally poked him in both eyes late in the first round.
    Antonio Losada, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Or use your finger, poking it about 2 inches into the soil.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • At the beginning of the week, prepare foods like bean burritos or steamed vegetables to add to salads.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Graduates complete the program prepared to join the workforce of intelligence professionals.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The approach mirrors Xbox’s Play Anywhere strategy and recent messaging that strict exclusivity is outdated.
    Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
  • While the Hong Kong listing should enhance the company’s liquidity and visibility, Zephirin added that a valuation re-rating is unlikely without meaningful gains in capital efficiency or strategy execution.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Ergofoot Orthopedic Slippers For those on my holiday list who have more sensitive and pain-prone feet, this orthopedic pair stands out from the crowd.
    Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Haygood, who owns a ranch in central Texas and a lake house in Hot Springs Village, stood out in his Los Angeles Dodgers baseball hat and Boston Celtics sweatshirt.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Project.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/project. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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