cast and project share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. cast means “put or send forth”. project means “communicate vividly”. project is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkæst/
1.v.put or send forth
“She threw the flashlight beam into the corner”
2.v.deposit
“cast a vote”
3.v.select to play,sing, or dance a part in a play, movie, musical, opera, or ballet
“He cast a young woman in the role of Desdemona”
/ˈpɹɑdʒɛkt/
1.v.communicate vividly
“He projected his feelings”
2.v.extend out or project in space
“His sharp nose jutted out”
3.v.transfer (ideas or principles) from one domain into another
| cast | project | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkæst/ | /ˈpɹɑdʒɛkt/ |
| Said | kast | PRAH-jekt |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | verb, noun |
| Senses | 20 | 14 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | project, contrive, throw | none recorded |
Full entry for cast · Full entry for project · More comparisons