Projected: A word geek’s nitpick

Sloppy or mistaken word usage pops out at me. For example, “A projected 5,000 people hold shares in this mutual fund.”

The sentence misuses “projected.” Projected refers to an estimate for the future.

Here’s a correct use of the word. “A projected 5,000 people will hold shares in this mutual fund one year from now.”

To speak about current shareholders, you could say, “An estimated 5,000 people hold shares in this mutual fund.”

Are you using “projected” and “estimated” correctly?