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 fictional
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
There’s Big Ridley, the visionary filmmaker of large-scale epics who has spent nearly 50 years creating some of the most indelible worlds in modern movies. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Combining archival and original footage, and blurring the categories of documentary essay and the poetic avant-garde, Pelechian’s visionary works revolve around a grand recurring theme of humankind’s tumultuous relationship to the natural world. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
For a visionary whose career has already stretched across nearly two decades, the project feels less like a reinvention and more like an evolution. — Desjah Altvater, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Company founder and one-time amateur racing driver, John Hennessey is the primary visionary who directed this switch away from chasing 300-mph straight-line speed records. — New Atlas, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for visionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for visionary
  1. romantic
  2. fictional
  3. cautious
  4. diviner
  5. dreamer
  6. impractical
  7. mythical
  8. careful
Adjective
  • The Saturday Night Live alum worked with Fey on that show and on his current romantic dramedy, Netflix’s The Four Seasons.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Sep. 2026
  • But though these chemicals are linked to mating in animal species, a link between pheromones and romantic attraction hasn’t been established in humans.
    — Rachel Hale, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of romantic
Adjective
  • The first season was filmed in Wales and set in the fictional North Wales village of Morfa Halen.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
  • This is where the creation of the aforementioned fictional Barrow’s Green came about, which eventually came to life in the form of The Six Bells Inn.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of fictional
Adjective
  • Florida’s Republican gubernatorial ticket is defying historic trends for a political party traditionally known for elevating white men to leadership positions — even as the GOP remains cautious about drawing attention to the shift.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Bindi, a young female wallaby, is inquisitive and extremely curious, while Wally, a young male wallaby, is more cautious and likes to look at things from afar, Borozenets said.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cautious
Noun
  • Ancient Chinese scholars made records of solar eclipses, and diviners made prophecies during these auspicious events.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2026
  • While often presented as the act of using beauty practices to manifest your desires, diviner and spiritual wellness teacher Tatianna Tarot would caution against getting too attached to semantics.
    — Essence, Essence, 23 Nov. 2025
Definition of diviner
Noun
  • San Francisco Playhouse is currently presenting the musical, helmed by company artistic director Bill English (with Phaedra Tillery-Boughton credited as associate director) and starring Ella Ruth Francis as the indefatigable dreamer Tracy Turnblad.
    — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers from every walk of life and across every continent.
    — Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of dreamer
Adjective
  • Force majeure clauses excuse a party from performance when an unforeseeable external event like extreme weather or war makes performance impossible or impractical.
    — Ashlee Difuntorum, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • There is no justification for American deaths in the name of the unsustainable and impractical goal of total military dominance, let alone unnecessary wars of choice.
    — Alexander Langlois, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of impractical
Adjective
  • Morris’s book focuses only on the representation of real animals; cataloguing mythic and hybrid creatures would take another volume entirely.
    — Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Equally jubilant and terrifying, his size brings both John and Jim Ross to this mythic quality.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of mythical
Adjective
  • Apply the serum directly to sparse areas of your brows, being careful to avoid letting the product touch other areas of your skin.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2026
  • According to the researchers, careful process design and optimization as well as architecture simplification could help in solving most of these issues, something that industrial production focuses on much more than academic researchers.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of careful

Browse Nearby Words

visionaries
visionary
visioned
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Cite this Entry

“Visionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/visionary. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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