project 1 of 2

Definition of projectnext

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

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
How was working with your producer, Lawrence Rothman (known for projects like Amanda Shires’ two most recent albums), on this? Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026 The complex project rolled on, the state turning over $61 million of the subsidy in May 2025 to cover dozens of pending property sales and demolitions. CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
On the high end, the Mets and Dodgers enter this season with payrolls projected to approach $400 million — about five times as much as the lowest-spending teams, such as the Miami Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026 Leger-Walker and Kneepkens are among multiple players on the team who are projected to play in the WNBA. Haley Sawyer, Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for project
Recent Examples of Synonyms for project
Noun
  • By the second day, a cable from headquarters informed Chalker that the plan had changed.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Grant Willliams sat out the tail end of the Hornets’ back-to-back, which was the team’s third game in four nights, keeping in tune with the plan for him following his return from tears in his right ACL and meniscus.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In the video, large swaths of brown earth can be seen protruding patches of mountain snow.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Or if a finger was so sliced open that the bone protruded.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The firm also designed the downtown Miami Four Seasons hotel and tower and PortMiami cruise terminal.
    Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The new $11 million installation features between 48,000 and 50,000 individual LED lights — double the number in the original 2013 display — designed for 360-degree visibility and built to better withstand the bay’s salty, windy weather, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • These are like blueprints that show how a company's defenses are set up.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Marc Spieler, Senior Managing Director of Energy at NVIDIA, emphasized that this collaboration serves as a blueprint for the future of infrastructure.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • And time is running out before teams begin poking and prodding at the puzzle, trying to find ways to break it apart.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Finding shooters in the corner, using Oldacre and Cunningham or the open person can be a way for Texas to poke holes in Michigan's defense.
    Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In the face of this uncertainty, companies and other organizations are preparing for a world in which the conflict — and subsequent jolt to crude prices — becomes a long-term challenge, affecting everything from travel planning to mail delivery.
    Dylan Butts, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
  • If any paperwork is involved, prepare it beforehand to skip mid-discussion confusion.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Tax season, savings strategies, and investment planning are all pulling at your attention, and your analytical mind is more than capable of working through the complexity.
    Kirah Tabourn, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
  • But the strategy has perils and pitfalls.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Anything stand out about other services and features?
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Mar. 2026
  • A little bit spicy, this quiche stands out from the milder traditional versions.
    Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Project.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/project. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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