visionary 1 of 2

adjective

ˈvi-zhə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce visionary (audio)
Definition of visionarynext
1
as in romantic
having or marked by a tendency to be guided more by ideals than by reality a visionary plan for a manned flight to Mars even though there are pressing problems right here on earth

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mythic
not real and existing only in the imagination one of several Christian saints who claimed to have had visionary experiences of hell

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cautious
having or showing awareness of and preparation for the future in a visionary move, the developer bought large tracts of the waterfront just before property values skyrocketed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

visionary

2 of 2

noun

1
as in diviner
one who predicts future events or developments according to Greek myth, Cassandra was a visionary who was endowed with the gift of inerrant prophecy but fated to never be believed

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2
as in dreamer
one whose conduct is guided more by the image of perfection than by the real world 19th-century visionaries who founded short-lived communities in which everyone was supposed to live in perfect peace and harmony

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective visionary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of visionary are chimerical, fanciful, fantastic, imaginary, and quixotic. While all these words mean "unreal or unbelievable," visionary stresses impracticality or incapability of realization.

visionary schemes

How is chimerical related to other words for visionary?

Chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

When might fanciful be a better fit than visionary?

In some situations, the words fanciful and visionary are roughly equivalent. However, fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination.

a teller of fanciful stories

When can fantastic be used instead of visionary?

The meanings of fantastic and visionary largely overlap; however, fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

When is imaginary a more appropriate choice than visionary?

Although the words imaginary and visionary have much in common, imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination.

an imaginary desert isle

When could quixotic be used to replace visionary?

While in some cases nearly identical to visionary, quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

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 visionary
Adjective
Communication planet Mercury in Gemini, responsible Saturn in Aries, visionary Neptune in Aries, and transformative Pluto in Aquarius all meet up with the New Moon. —Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 23 May 2025 Barcelona has seduced visitors for decades, drawing them in with its striking modernist architecture — from the towering Sagrada Familia to the whimsical Park Güell, both masterpieces of visionary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. —Jennifer Fernández Solano, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Noun
The 10-acre property was hand-built by the visionary artist and sculptor James Hubbell, who passed away last year. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2025 Paraiso Miami Swim Week will introduce Swimwear Icons Hall of Fame, an evening to honor designers, visionaries and icons who have shaped swimwear history. —Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for visionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for visionary
  1. romantic
  2. cautious
  3. diviner
  4. dreamer
  5. impractical
  6. mythical
  7. careful
  8. prophet
Adjective
  • The dating competition, based on the popular UK series of the same name, follows a group of singles – aka islanders – looking for romantic connections and a chance to win a hefty cash prize.
    — Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • Last season, Savchenko hit the dance floor with Brooks Nader and the two kicked off an on-again-off-again romantic relationship that ended in April with the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model claiming Savchenko had cheated.
    — Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 3 June 2025
Definition of romantic
Adjective
  • The Chiefs, who have a history of being cautious with their rookies during summer practices, nonetheless had Simmons participate in non-team drills during rookie minicamp last month.
    — Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2025
  • Here are some tips to choose high-quality olive oil: Be cautious with olive oils that bear significantly lower prices.
    — Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 2 June 2025
Definition of cautious
Noun
  • That spells trouble in the Indo-Pacific, a watery region where military leaders and Beltway diviners believe a war over Taiwan could erupt as soon as 2027.
    — Colin Demarest, Axios, 8 Mar. 2025
  • That spells trouble in the Indo-Pacific, a watery region where military leaders and Beltway diviners believe a war over Taiwan could erupt as soon as 2027.
    — Colin Demarest, Axios, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of diviner
Noun
  • The advent of aviation in this world was something for crackpots and dreamers at the edge of society to do.
    — Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • Others were anonymous anarchists, dreamers, poets, preachers and lunatics.
    — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Definition of dreamer
Adjective
  • Study co-author and archaeological scientist Katerina Douka explains that this technique can be used to sort through large numbers of fragments in a way that is impractical for other methods such as DNA sequencing.
    — Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 5 June 2025
  • One such model is the external control arm (ECA), which leverages real-world data (RWD) to supplement or replace control groups, especially when enrolling patients in placebo arms is impractical or ethically complex.
    — Sujay Jadhav, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Definition of impractical
Adjective
  • What makes the book so extraordinary is that is functions as a de facto catalogue for a mythical Rolex museum, chock full of images of timepieces from every Rolex era, dating to 1908, three years after the brand was founded.
    — Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 26 May 2025
  • The mythical creature is said to be the origin of the first Vietnamese people.
    — Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
Definition of mythical
Adjective
  • Watch out for slippery roads: Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins.
    — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 7 June 2025
  • But as the Trump administration has rolled out immigration policies targeting Venezuelans, Haitians and Cubans, GOP officials in Miami have had to draw a careful balance between supporting the White House and the many immigrants in their district affected by Trump’s immigration agenda.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 June 2025
Definition of careful
Noun
  • New prophets competed to revive her army in their image.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 17 May 2025
  • For them, the Nazarene is not a charlatan, but an upright man, one who has courage, who speaks well and says the right things, like other great prophets in the history of Israel.
    — Daniel Burke, NPR, 9 May 2025
Definition of prophet

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Cite this Entry

“Visionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/visionary. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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