Definition of projectnext

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 project also includes two helicopter landing zones, vegetation clearing to reduce wildfire risks and areas where trees and other vegetation have been thinned to help slow the spread of fires and support emergency crews. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 1 Nov. 2026 The latest tech-bros-suck project to hit the timeline, the eight-episode gets inside the rise and spectacular falls of the founders of crypto empire FTX. — Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
On the pro-Netanyahu Channel 14, Likud is projected to take 30 seats and Eisenkot about 20. — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026 Back in June, IATA projected that global airline fuel expenditures would reach roughly 350 billion dollars in 2026, accounting for nearly 31% of total operating costs, an increase of roughly 6 percentage points compared to last year. — CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for project
Recent Examples of Synonyms for project
Noun
  • The plan is to find candidates from families that renounced their royal status in 1947, which at the time was to ease the postwar financial burden on the monarchy.
    — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Swift's childhood was tailor-made for a Hallmark movie—but the future pop star already had other plans.
    — Ilaria Perrotta, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Once fished to the brink of extinction globally, sand tiger sharks, that iconic aquarium shark with a jaw of protruding, jagged teeth that only a mother could love, have been increasing in the Boston Harbor over the last decade.
    — Asia London Palomba, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The face is a glossy black plastic with the exterior lenses slightly protruding, keeping the front from looking like a single flat surface.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Vessels like Sichuan are primarily designed to support amphibious operations, transport military personnel, deploy helicopters and facilitate landing operations.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The new offering is designed to help teams, leagues, owners and developers answer questions before design begins, from fan experience and revenue strategy to sponsorships, naming rights and destination development.
    — Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • His blueprint called for converting a trio of bedrooms into lounges.
    — Lauren Mechling, Architectural Digest, 29 Oct. 2026
  • In a copycat league, Seattle may have provided a blueprint for Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, one of the best defensive minds in the league.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Hours later, a group of rescuers in hard hats were using poles stripped from trees to poke at the huge pile of rubble.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Wilson crossed the ball over at a relaxed pace, and Leonard extended one arm of his 7-foot-3 wingspan to poke it away.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In crowded Chaweng Beach, this 26-room hotel’s high style attracts a stream of beachcombers (prepare to show your key to the hotel gatekeeper).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The United States has starting making arrangements to prepare its key bases to operate for at least 3 months without outside support.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The agreement came after the EU unveiled a new Arctic strategy aimed at countering growing Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
    — Lee Ying Shan,Matthew Tan, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Its faster trial infrastructure, its more integrated translational pathways, and its willingness to link industrial strategy to health delivery hold lessons for governments around the world.
    — Ruby Wang, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Teghaza 001 was acquired through the desert meteorite trade, where hunters comb the Sahara for dark stones that stand out against the sand.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Back at the museum, among the many things the digital Dalí does, one set of interactions stands out.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Project.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/project. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster