Synonym Chooser

How is the word projection different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of projection are bulge, protrusion, and protuberance. While all these words mean "an extension beyond the normal line or surface," projection implies a jutting out especially at a sharp angle.

those projections along the wall are safety hazards

When is it sensible to use bulge instead of projection?

The synonyms bulge and projection are sometimes interchangeable, but bulge suggests an expansion caused by internal pressure.

bulges in the tile floor

When is protrusion a more appropriate choice than projection?

The words protrusion and projection can be used in similar contexts, but protrusion suggests a thrusting out so that the extension seems a deformity.

the bizarre protrusions of a coral reef

Where would protuberance be a reasonable alternative to projection?

The words protuberance and projection are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, protuberance implies a growing or swelling out in rounded form.

a skin disease marked by warty protuberances

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 projection Since the tariffs have gone into effect, many banks and economic forecasters have revised their projections downwards, and some have increased the likelihood of a coming recession. Tobias Burns, The Hill, 11 Apr. 2025 The result beat Wall Street profit projections of $4.63 a share, according to the data firm FactSet. Alain Sherter, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025 This framing commits Beijing to holding out, because the alternative is for a party that predicates its power on the projection of strength to appear to be capitulating to a hostile onslaught. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2025 If projections around the tariffs’ impact are correct, then getting some shopping done now could save you time and money later. Sara Coughlin, SELF, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for projection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for projection
Noun
  • In the final episode, Lejla was drugged and taken to the very same glass dome where Alicia was being held captive.
    Jordana Comiter, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Santorini Photo: Getty Images Santorini, the island famous for its blue domes, volcanic landscape, and stunning sunsets, is one of the most popular Greek islands for all the reasons just listed.
    Elise Taylor, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Thanks everyone for reading, and especially to all of you who argued your favorite team’s case in a way that made the comment section slightly less of a trainwreck than other comment sections.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Don’t skip the fantastic songs or sections with actual lyrics!
    David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • OneNote's clipper can grab an entire website, a portion of a website, or just the content of an article.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Still, with nearly 2.6 million living in the U.S., Salvadorans are the third-largest Hispanic group in the country and portions of the population may be vulnerable to mass-deportation efforts.
    David Catanese, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Gone are most of the toggle switches (and the little safety protrusions that accompanied them) on the dashboard, with the exception of one for changing between drive, reverse, and neutral, plus another to switch between drive modes.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The sea cucumber is also covered with tentacles and papillae, or fleshy protrusions, according to the study.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • When the loss function has a convenient mathematical property called convexity, this procedure is guaranteed to find the optimal solution.
    Zachary C. Lipton, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Jan. 2016
  • Even more interesting is the fact that Noctua is issuing three variants of the cooler with variations in the convexity of the cold plate: a normal, a high-convexity, and a low-convexity model.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 10 June 2024
Noun
  • Violet-blue protuberances are surrounded by what look like thorns but are actually soft, if jagged, flower parts.
    Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 14 Mar. 2025
  • By flying drones over a remote stretch of the Canadian Arctic, scientists were able to capture unique footage of narwhals, shedding light on the function of their famed protuberances, according to a study published Feb. 27 in Frontiers in Marine Science.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Lavery said lofty prices for green coffee bean futures have remained an overhang for the company.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
  • This averted delisting removed a significant overhang that had previously weighed on SMCI's stock.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Mazzoli created a lush score that was alternately sweeping or intimate, sensuous or mystical, yet with a distinctive sound that was her own weaving a thread through the piece.
    Janelle Gelfand, Cincinnati.com, 19 July 2017
  • This is why the war stories of Tom Clancy are such convincing and moving pieces of fiction.
    Janine Barchas, Washington Post, 18 July 2017

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Cite this Entry

“Projection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/projection. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on projection

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