noun
Very common
projects
PROJ-ehkts
Projects (noun) means Public, high-density housing developments for low-income residents. Example: “Her grandmother raised four children in the projects and was proud of them.”
noun
1
Public, high-density housing developments for low-income residents.
"My friend Larry Gray never gangbanged with us but was from the projects and to your rival, that meant you were one"
— Donovan Simmons, Terry Moses (2008)
"Her grandmother raised four children in the projects and was proud of them."
"The city plans to replace the old projects with mixed housing and shops."
"He grew up in the projects on the city's east side."
How to use projects
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA common informal term (mainly American English) for public housing developments.
When to use it
Informal; can carry negative connotations depending on tone and context.
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Synonyms
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public housing
housing project
council estate
housing estate
subsidized housing
tenements
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “projects” mean?
The word “projects” means public, high-density housing developments for low-income residents. In plain terms, a common informal term (mainly American English) for public housing developments.
How do you pronounce “projects”?
“Projects” is pronounced PROJ-ehkts (/ˈpɹɑˌd͡ʒɛkts/ in IPA).
How do you use “projects” in a sentence?
Here is “projects” used in a sentence: “He grew up in the projects on the city's east side.”
What part of speech is “projects”?
“Projects” is a noun.
Is “projects” a common word?
“Projects” is a very common word in modern English.
What are "the projects"?
"The projects" is an informal American term for public housing, meaning government-funded, high-density apartment complexes built to provide affordable homes for low-income residents. The word usually appears with "the" and in the plural, as in "she grew up in the projects."
What is the difference between "the projects" and "public housing"?
They refer to the same thing but differ in tone. "Public housing" is the formal, official term for government-subsidized homes. "The projects" is the everyday, informal name, most common in the United States, and it often carries strong social and cultural associations.
Why are they called "projects"?
The name comes from "housing project," meaning a planned development built as a single government undertaking, or project. Over time the shortened plural "the projects" became the common name for these public housing complexes, especially in large American cities.
What is an example of "projects" in this sense?
"He was raised in the projects on the city's east side" uses the word to mean public housing. This differs from the everyday sense of "projects" as planned tasks or assignments, and context, usually including the word "the," makes the housing meaning clear.
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