project
Americannoun
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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
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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.
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a specific task of investigation, especially in scholarship.
Federal funding supports some cancer-related projects while other research is sustained by private grants.
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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.
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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.
verb (used with object)
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to propose, contemplate, or plan.
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to throw, cast, or impel forward or onward.
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to set forth or calculate (some future thing).
They projected the building costs for the next five years.
- Synonyms:
- predict
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to throw or cause to fall upon a surface or into space, as a ray of light or a shadow.
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to cause (a figure or image) to appear, as on a background.
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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.
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to cause to jut out or protrude.
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Geometry.
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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.
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to transform the points (of one figure) into those of another by a correspondence between points.
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to present (an idea, program, etc.) for consideration or action.
They made every effort to project the notion of world peace.
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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.
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to communicate clearly and forcefully (one's thoughts, personality, role, etc.) to an audience, as in a theatrical performance; produce a compelling image of.
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to cause (the voice) to appear to come from a source other than oneself, as in ventriloquism; throw.
verb (used without object)
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to extend or protrude beyond something else.
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to use one's voice forcefully enough to be heard at a distance, as in a theater.
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to produce a clear impression of one's thoughts, personality, role, etc., in an audience; communicate clearly and forcefully.
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Psychology. to ascribe one's own feelings, thoughts, or attitudes to others.
noun
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a proposal, scheme, or design
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a task requiring considerable or concerted effort, such as one by students
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the subject of such a task
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short for housing project
verb
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(tr) to propose or plan
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(tr) to predict; estimate; extrapolate
we can project future needs on the basis of the current birth rate
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(tr) to throw or cast forwards
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to jut or cause to jut out
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(tr) to send forth or transport in the imagination
to project oneself into the future
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(tr) to cause (an image) to appear on a surface
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to cause (one's voice) to be heard clearly at a distance
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psychol
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(intr) (esp of a child) to believe that others share one's subjective mental life
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to impute to others (one's hidden desires and impulses), esp as a means of defending oneself Compare introject
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(tr) geometry to draw a projection of
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(intr) to communicate effectively, esp to a large gathering
Synonym Usage
See plan.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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counterprojectnoun
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subprojectnoun
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reprojectverb
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nonprojectingadjective
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projectableadjective
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unprojectedadjective
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unprojectingadjective
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projectinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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projectsimple
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projectssimple
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have projectedperfect
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has projectedperfect
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am projectingprogressive
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are projectingprogressive
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is projectingprogressive
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have been projectingperfect progressive
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has been projectingperfect progressive
Past
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projectedsimple
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had projectedperfect
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was projectingprogressive
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were projectingprogressive
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had been projectingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing project
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Davenport and others note that the project is only set to include around 86 units designated as affordable housing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Blumstein assumed responsibility for the project in 2003 when Armitage retired.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
“The project will give thousands of people—young professionals, working families, seniors—the ability to live near excellent public transit and jobs,” said David Balducci, the project developer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
The Marina Community Association has opposed the project.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Eliana sounds like a teacher who’s talking to a kid who has the nerve to claim they didn’t know about a research project they should have been working on for weeks.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
The series received glowing reviews for its hangout vibe and a lack of the global stakes that often burden Marvel projects.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
With at least 248 planned data center projects and 335 in operation, Texas is poised to become a leader in data center development.
From Salon ● Aug. 3, 2026
The building has had to delay routine projects such as power-washing the buildings and planting new flowers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Other brands involved with partnerships on conservation projects include high street bank Santander UK, mobile phone networks Vodafone and Three, and beauty giant Estée Lauder.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
“Your projects are always so interesting,” she said.
From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen
“What will be important is the level of confidence projected by management regarding the company’s growth path.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
Now, enrollments are projected to fall 13% by 2041, according to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Private hospitals without trauma centers, such as MLK hospital, are left to vie for a cut of a pool of any “leftover” funds that exceed the amount the county projected raising via the measure.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Its projected cost is £162.6m compared to £543m for Glasgow 2014 and £680m for Birmingham 2022.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
They projected a sea of stars on the domed ceiling, and we all oohed and aahed as, one by one, the constellations were highlighted and morphed into Greekish-statue versions, making the formations easier to see.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
Rivian also raised its guidance for the year, projecting adjusted losses as high as $2 billion; previously, the company had estimated losses of up to $2.1 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Renault reaffirmed its full-year outlook, projecting an operating margin of about 5.5% of revenue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
He said connecting "something that happened 80 years ago" and projecting that onto health now meant there were "loads" of other factors that could be playing a role.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
The company is also expected to see its free cash flow turn negative this quarter, with analysts projecting $801 million in negative free cash flow.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
The tiger awoke with a yowl and leaped up, hitting his head on the projecting rock above.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
