project

noun proj·ect \ ˈprä-ˌjekt , -jikt also ˈprō- \

Updated on: 10 Dec 2017

Definition of project

1 : a specific plan or design : scheme

2 obsolete : idea

3 : a planned undertaking: such as

a : a definitely formulated piece of research

b : a large usually government-supported undertaking

c : a task or problem engaged in usually by a group of students to supplement and apply classroom studies

4 : a usually public housing development consisting of houses or apartments built and arranged according to a single plan

See project defined for English-language learners

See project defined for kids

Examples of project in a Sentence

an ambitious project to develop the city's waterfront

Recent Examples of project from the Web

The World Bank is now financing mental health treatment projects in various countries; supporting meetings on the importance of population-wide mental health to development; and researching the magnitude of the challenge and ways to address it.

— joanne silberner, Discover Magazine, "A Global State of Mind," 13 Nov. 2017
Twenty-seven women involved in the project submitted nude photos of themselves to an artist.

— perry stein, Washington Post, "Activists behind a rejected 45-foot statue of a naked woman in D.C. have a new plan: A 26-foot digital artwork of a naked woman.," 3 Nov. 2017
But nearly 2 years after implementation began, few projects are underway.

— richard stone, Science | AAAS, "United States blocks Iran from fusion megaproject," 31 Oct. 2017
Her projects have included horse, market lamb, market goat and country ham.

— owen prim, Cincinnati.com, "Rebekah Foutch, Samantha Webster win top 4-H honors," 29 Oct. 2017
Andy Manoloff shares YouTube videos of his crafting projects online.

— lilian min, Cosmopolitan, "This Wonder Woman Pumpkin Carving Is Fiery Perfection," 27 Oct. 2017
Chandrayaan-2 will be one of the first ISRO projects without any Russian involvement even at launch, instead hurtling into space at Satish Dhawan Space Center, located on a barrier island in the Bay of Bengal.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "India Is Sending a Rover to the Moon in 2018," 25 Oct. 2017
More than a year after those hurricanes, Maul testified, $371 million in projects is in the state’s payment system.

— steve bousquet, miamiherald, "Legislators grill Florida emergency managers on hurricane expenses, reimbursement," 25 Oct. 2017
His last project More Life had his father as its cover art with interludes from the soul musician.

— Essence.com, "Drake Celebrated His Birthday With A Sweet Father-Son Duet," 25 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'project.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of project

Middle English projecte, from Medieval Latin projectum, from Latin, neuter of projectus, past participle of proicere to throw forward, from pro- + jacere to throw — more at jet

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

project Synonyms

Synonyms

arrangement, blueprint, design, game, game plan, ground plan, master plan, program, plan, road map, scheme, strategy, system

Related Words

collusion, conspiracy, plot; contrivance, device, gambit, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, subterfuge, trick; counterplan, counterstrategy; means, tactic, technique, way; procedure, protocol; conception, idea, projet, proposal, specific (s), specification (s); aim, intent, intention, purpose; diagram, formula, layout, map, pattern, platform, policy, recipe, setup

Synonym Discussion of project

plan, design, plot, scheme, project mean a method devised for making or doing something or achieving an end. plan always implies mental formulation and sometimes graphic representation.

- plans for a house

design often suggests a particular pattern and some degree of achieved order or harmony.

- a design for a new dress

plot implies a laying out in clearly distinguished sections with attention to their relations and proportions.

- the plot of the play

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

project often stresses imaginative scope and vision.

- a project to develop the waterfront

project

verb pro·ject \ prə-ˈjekt \

Definition of project

transitive verb

1 a : to devise in the mind : design

b : to plan, figure, or estimate for the future

2 : to throw or cast forward : thrust

3 : to put or set forth : present for consideration

4 : to cause to jut out

5 : to cause (light or shadow) to fall into space or (an image) to fall on a surface

6 : to reproduce (something, such as a point, line, or area) on a surface by motion in a prescribed direction

7 : to display outwardly especially to an audience

8 : to attribute (one's own ideas, feelings, or characteristics) to other people or to objects

a nation is an entity on which one can project many of the worst of one's instincts
—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

intransitive verb

1 : to jut out : protrude

2 a : to come across vividly : give an impression

b : to make oneself heard clearly

—

projectable

play \prə-ˈjek-tə-bəl\ adjective

See project defined for English-language learners

Examples of project in a Sentence

He projected next year's costs as being slightly higher than this year's.
It's difficult to project funding needs so far into the future.
an athlete who projects a positive image to young people
We need an actor who projects a tough-guy image.

Recent Examples of project from the Web

The festival also will have a tent where women can take photos of themselves that will be projected and morphed onto the image of the woman on the scaffold.

— perry stein, Washington Post, "Activists behind a rejected 45-foot statue of a naked woman in D.C. have a new plan: A 26-foot digital artwork of a naked woman.," 3 Nov. 2017
Jordan certainly needs an economic jolt: growth this year is projected at merely 2.3%, and the country is implementing an unpopular International Monetary Fund austerity program that involves raising income-tax rates.

— yaroslav trofimov, WSJ, "As Wars Wind Down in Syria and Iraq, Jordan Sees Opportunity," 26 Oct. 2017
Previous estimates projected that would happen by 2024, but this year's report sees the tipping point around 2022.

— ryan craggs, Condé Nast Traveler, "4 Billion More People Will Be Flying Annually by 2036," 25 Oct. 2017
Johnson declared for the NBA Draft but returned for his senior season and is projected as a first-round pick in the 2018 draft.

— chris fickett, kansascity, "With Wichita State gone, Missouri State basketball picked to win Valley," 24 Oct. 2017
Jagger said, as an enormous black-and-white photo was projected on the multiple LED screens above the stage.

— george varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Rolling Stones rock hard in Düsseldorf, where band played its first German concert in 1965," 18 Oct. 2017
In an effort to elevate, specifically, women in STEM fields, GE will be projecting the faces of famous female scientist and engineers onto the ceiling of of New York City's Grand Central Terminal.

— melissa minton, Teen Vogue, "Grand Central Terminal's Latest Display Highlights Women in STEM," 22 Sep. 2017
Lincoln-Way projected thousands more students would be arriving to District 210.

— gregory pratt, Daily Southtown, "Former Lincoln-Way chief Wyllie could lose $321,000 annual pension if convicted," 15 Sep. 2017
Roof work, projected to cost $212,000, will likely begin by the end of this month, and isn't expected to cause any delays, according to city staff.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Naperville train station to see new roof by year's end," 12 Sep. 2017

Origin and Etymology of project

Anglo-French projecter, from Latin projectus, past participle

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

project Synonyms

Synonyms

bag, balloon, beetle, belly, billow, bunch, jut, overhang, poke, pooch [chiefly dialect], pouch, pout, bulge, protrude, stand out, start, stick out, swell

Related Words

dome; blow up, inflate; dilate, distend, expand; mushroom, snowball; elongate, extend, lengthen, stretch

Near Antonyms

compress, condense, constrict, contract, shrink

PROJECT Defined for English Language Learners

project

noun

Definition of project for English Language Learners

: a planned piece of work that has a specific purpose (such as to find information or to make something new) and that usually requires a lot of time
: a task or problem in school that requires careful work over a long period of time

project

verb

Definition of project for English Language Learners

: to plan, calculate, or estimate (something) for a time in the future
: to cause (light, a picture, a movie, etc.) to appear on a surface
: to have or show (a particular quality, image, etc., that can be seen by other people)

PROJECT Defined for Kids

project

noun proj·ect \ ˈprä-ˌjekt , -jikt \

Definition of project for Students

1 : a plan or scheme to do something

home improvement projects

2 : a task or problem in school that requires work over a period of time and is often displayed or presented

a science project

3 : a group of houses or apartment buildings built according to a single plan

project

verb pro·ject \ prə-ˈjekt \

Definition of project for Students

projected; projecting

1 : to stick out

The rock projected above the ground.

2 : to cause to fall on a surface

The machine projects motion pictures on a screen.

3 : to send or throw forward

Word Root of project

The Latin word jacere, meaning “to throw,” and its form jactus give us the root ject. Words from the Latin jacere have something to do with throwing. To reject is to throw back or away. To eject is to throw out. To inject is to throw one thing into another. To project is to throw forward onto a surface.