project

American  

[proj-ekt, -ikt, pruh-jekt] / ˈprɒdʒ ɛkt, -ɪkt, prəˈdʒɛkt /

noun

• projects
  plural

1. something that is contemplated, devised, or planned; plan; scheme.

   I have several little projects around the house that I’d like to tackle in my time off.

   Synonyms:

   proposal

2. a large or major undertaking, especially one involving considerable money, personnel, and equipment.

   The city is undertaking several public works projects to modernize and upgrade infrastructure.

3. a specific task of investigation, especially in scholarship.

   Federal funding supports some cancer-related projects while other research is sustained by private grants.

4. Education. a supplementary, long-term educational assignment necessitating personal initiative, undertaken by an individual student or a group of students.

   For my literature class project, I wrote an original rock opera and performed one song from it.

5. Informal. the projects, a housing project, typically one constructed as a development of high-rise towers with apartments for low-income residents, especially in the second half of the 20th century.

   Back in those days, the projects were no place to raise a family.

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verb (used with object)

• projects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• projected,
  past participle,  past
• projecting
  present participle

1. to propose, contemplate, or plan.

   Synonyms:

   devise, plot, scheme, contrive

2. to throw, cast, or impel forward or onward.

3. to set forth or calculate (some future thing).

   They projected the building costs for the next five years.

   Synonyms:

   predict

4. to throw or cause to fall upon a surface or into space, as a ray of light or a shadow.

5. to cause (a figure or image) to appear, as on a background.

6. to regard (something within the mind, as a feeling, thought, or attitude) as having some form of reality outside the mind.

   He projected a thrilling picture of the party's future.

7. to cause to jut out or protrude.

8. Geometry.

   1. to throw forward an image of (a figure or the like) by straight lines or rays, either parallel, converging, or diverging, that pass through all its points and reproduce it on another surface or figure.

   2. to transform the points (of one figure) into those of another by a correspondence between points.

9. to present (an idea, program, etc.) for consideration or action.

   They made every effort to project the notion of world peace.

10. to use (one's voice, gestures, etc.) forcefully enough to be perceived at a distance, as by all members of the audience in a theater.

11. to communicate clearly and forcefully (one's thoughts, personality, role, etc.) to an audience, as in a theatrical performance; produce a compelling image of.

12. to cause (the voice) to appear to come from a source other than oneself, as in ventriloquism; throw.

verb (used without object)

• projects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• projected,
  past participle,  past
• projecting
  present participle

1. to extend or protrude beyond something else.

   Synonyms:

   overhang, obtrude, bulge

2. to use one's voice forcefully enough to be heard at a distance, as in a theater.

3. to produce a clear impression of one's thoughts, personality, role, etc., in an audience; communicate clearly and forcefully.

4. Psychology. to ascribe one's own feelings, thoughts, or attitudes to others.

project British  

noun

1. a proposal, scheme, or design

2. 1. a task requiring considerable or concerted effort, such as one by students

   2. the subject of such a task

3. short for housing project

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verb

1. (tr) to propose or plan

2. (tr) to predict; estimate; extrapolate

   we can project future needs on the basis of the current birth rate

3. (tr) to throw or cast forwards

4. to jut or cause to jut out

5. (tr) to send forth or transport in the imagination

   to project oneself into the future

6. (tr) to cause (an image) to appear on a surface

7. to cause (one's voice) to be heard clearly at a distance

8. psychol

   1. (intr) (esp of a child) to believe that others share one's subjective mental life

   2. to impute to others (one's hidden desires and impulses), esp as a means of defending oneself Compare introject

9. (tr) geometry to draw a projection of

10. (intr) to communicate effectively, esp to a large gathering

Synonym Usage

See plan.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterproject
  noun
• subproject
  noun
• reproject
  verb
• nonprojecting
  adjective
• projectable
  adjective
• unprojected
  adjective
• unprojecting
  adjective
• projectingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• projects
  plural

Participles

• projecting
  present
• projected
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• project
  simple
• projects
  simple
• have projected
  perfect
• has projected
  perfect
• am projecting
  progressive
• are projecting
  progressive
• is projecting
  progressive
• have been projecting
  perfect progressive
• has been projecting
  perfect progressive

Past

• projected
  simple
• had projected
  perfect
• was projecting
  progressive
• were projecting
  progressive
• had been projecting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will project
  simple
• will have projected
  perfect
• will be projecting
  progressive
• will have been projecting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of project

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun project(e) “design, plan,” from Medieval Latin prōjectum, Latin: “projecting part,” noun use of neuter of Latin prōjectus, past participle of prōicere “to throw forward, extend,” equivalent to prō- pro- ¹ + -icere, combining form of jacere “to throw”

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Explanation

A project is a piece of work that is planned or intended. Plan a little extra time for your gingerbread house project — gluing the walls and roof can take a while. If you call a person your project, pronounced PRAH-jekt, it means you are trying to improve them by telling them how to behave, etc. As a verb, pronounced pro-JEKT, it means to jut out literally — The fireplace projects into the dining room — or figuratively — Try to project your ideas forcefully. If you assume another person is feeling the same things you are, you are projecting your feelings onto them.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

project projects projected projecting

In one recent case in Texas, a subcontractor’s entire project crew of around a dozen men were replaced when that company couldn’t identify who had written derogatory graffiti about female employees, said Sheriff, Turner’s president.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

Not to retire or pursue a passion project, but to hedge their company stock.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

The River Ash is one of about 260 chalk rivers in the world, and the restoration project has included the creation of new gravel beds.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

Raman zeroed in on the issue of soaring electrical bills and the string of problems plaguing LAX’s elevated rail project.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026

Might he even be the one to rescue my project, too?

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Several major luxury projects in the works could also qualify for federal tax breaks, including a Fouquet’s-branded hotel development and a 20-story office and retail tower called Ursa, where Robins is a partner.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

"Similar to hydro 20 to 30 years ago, there's a bit of a rush on to secure concessions and development rights" for new wind projects, he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

"Strategic investment in projects such as the Public Engagement and Discovery Centre are part of a commercial growth strategy to help generate income while providing teaching and research space to further enhance the student experience."

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

The treasurer is the state’s chief financial manager and responsible for overseeing public investments and issuing bonds to fund major projects including roads, sewers, schools and affordable housing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

In public health projects in difficult locales, theory often prevails over practice.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Dart is projected to rise to 83rd on Monday after lifting the Guangzhou trophy to cap a stunning second half of the season.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

While the U.S.’s and U.K.’s stood above 40%, France’s and Italy’s sat below 10% and were projected to hit zero by 2030.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

Net sales are now projected to climb 2% to 3%, compared with a prior outlook of up 1% to 2%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

The program’s retirement trust fund is projected to exhaust its reserves in roughly six years — coinciding with each newly elected senator’s term.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

“We just got the projected expenses work sheet. By the time we pay them, they’ll be able to build one.”

From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin

Strazik said demand for electricity infrastructure continues to increase, with GE Vernova now projecting its backlog to exceed $200 billion in the fourth quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

Research published in September by the Brookings Institution also found this connection, projecting that if the pattern held in the general election, tens of thousands of mail-in ballots could be rejected.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026

Musk is also eyeing auto growth, projecting production of five million in 2030 compared with 1.7 million in 2025.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

But Netflix projected slower growth for the remainder of the year, projecting revenue of $13.4 billion, less than what analysts had forecast.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

“Ibtihaj, you can do this,” Faizah said, practically screaming down to me, projecting her voice so her words would reach me over all of the stadium noise.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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Related Words

• activity
• business
• deal
• design
• enterprise
• job
• plan
• program
• proposal
• scheme
• strategy
• task
• venture

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