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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 leadership of the paper, and others within Spotlight interviewed during the investigation, felt that McCarthy had behaved appropriately, and was in fact focused on guaranteeing the accuracy of sensitive, high-stakes projects. Max Tani, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025 While speaking with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden in an interview on June 30, the singer revealed that the new project will give an intimate look at her life like never before. Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
With health insurance premiums projected to skyrocket at the end of the year thanks to the expiration of tax credits Democrats enacted during the pandemic, Republicans are likely to focus on paring back those federal subsidies. Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025 In 2025, data centers in Texas alone are projected to use 49 billion gallons of water, enough to supply millions of households, primarily for cooling massive banks of servers that power generative AI and cloud computing. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for project
Recent Examples of Synonyms for project
Noun
  • At least one former candidate – Kansas City attorney Stacy Lake, who lost to White in the Democratic primary for County Executive in 2022 – has announced plans to run at that point.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The bulk of his cases are reviews involving the major Medicaid plans in Ohio.
    Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Sharks are often imagined cruising just beneath the waves, dorsal fin protruding from the dark, ocean waters to alert people of their incoming doom.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Hammer four nails about an inch apart into a cross shape at the center of your board so that the heads protrude at least an inch.
    Peter Barrett, Outside, 30 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In addition to the main compartment, the bag has two zippered pockets in front, a rear zipped pocket, and a mesh expansion that is designed to hold a water bottle, to-go coffee mug, umbrella, or sunglasses case.
    Rachel Trujillo, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Tejasvi designed it with large-font type to make text easier to see and read, and a soft, blue theme intended to be soothing to people who may come to the site fresh from a scam and be fearful or frazzled.
    Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • By combining hierarchical planning, reinforcement learning, and motion data drawn from human players, the project provides a blueprint for building robots that are efficient and intuitive in their movements.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Lessons from Jasmine’s Career Journey Jasmine’s evolution from marketer to product leader offers a blueprint for navigating disruption in today’s rapidly changing world of work.
    AJ Thomas, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Stars not just in front of, but within the dusty nebula, poke through all but the densest gas.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 8 Sep. 2025
  • In July 2024, Thompson's daughter Gaia shared a cheeky post on her Instagram Stories poking fun at 2023's Barbie movie's tagline — and Thompson's ex, Kenneth Branagh.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Crunch talks The industry split on this issue comes as auto bosses prepare to meet the EU’s von der Leyen on Friday.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • House Republicans’ divisions on how the United States should engage in foreign wars will be on full display on Wednesday as the House prepares to vote on a handful of amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Seeking professional guidance early is key so that strategies can be examined and coordinated effectively.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Wasserman, the committee's chairman, directed the council to suggest a new distribution strategy for the committee to review in December.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • During training sessions in the Portuguese sun, his finishing stood out.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
  • What stood out most from the discussion was not just the variety of strategies, but the humanity behind them.
    Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Project.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/project. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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