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

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”

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

The 5.8 billion ringgit Sungai Perak project will extend the hydro plant’s operating life by 40 years under a new power purchase agreement, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

A discussion about collaborating on a project between Martínez Celaya and L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

The WSJ reported earlier how increased tax revenue generated by a Meta Platforms data center project in Louisiana was leading to bonuses of more than $50,000 for some local teachers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

“The idea of a really big public art project, and using the theater itself as the gallery/canvas, has been one that I’ve had forever,” Koelsch said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

To provide electricity, said the visitors—a proud new project for an independent new country!

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

The original line-up began to break apart following Possessed and Cronos pursued solo projects until a short-lived and acrimonious reunion in the mid-90s.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

Some see a humanist concerned about AI's impact on society, able to attract the world's best researchers to history-changing projects.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

Other companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, are planning similar projects.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Before his foray into Spider-Man-related projects, Cage portrayed Johnny Blaze in the 2007 movie “Ghost Rider” and its sequel, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Even the most optimistic staff began to cancel meetings, abandon research projects, and shelve any new ideas.

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

Organizers initially sold about 4.5 million tickets and projected huge financial gains from Olympic tourism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

The company projected sales in the current fiscal year would fall by "high-single digits," according to an earnings statement.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

They added that if it goes as planned, they expect more private investment to express interest in the project, which is projected to cost between C$35.2bn and C$43.7bn.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

Adobe’s analytics division projected $275.1 billion in U.S. online sales between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, up 6.7% from the same period last year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

His slightly bucktoothed grin projected an easy self-confidence; the round spectacles he wore from his schooldays gave him a professorial air even then.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

By placing a tether around captive moths and projecting stars on the wall, researchers last year showed how Bogongs used the Milky Way.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

“It feels like their local staff is just following what the U.S. is projecting to them,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The company also expects consumers to stock up on essentials during holiday deals, projecting online sales of personal hygiene products will more than double-and clothing basics will more than triple-during Cyber Week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Mr. Worthen has the gift of projecting sympathy with a light touch, and his intimate study of Brahms feels complete and satisfying.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

The Yucatan Peninsula is like a gigantic limestone wharf projecting into the Caribbean.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

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