adjective
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denoting or relating to design, technology, etc, that is thought likely to be current or fashionable at some future time; ultramodern
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of or relating to futurism
Other Word Forms
- futuristically adverb
- nonfuturistic adjective
- semifuturistic adjective
- unfuturistic adjective
Etymology
Origin of futuristic
Explanation
Use the adjective futuristic to describe something so new and unfamiliar that it looks like it could come from the future. You might admire your cousin's futuristic, streamlined bicycle helmet. Something that's futuristic is designed in very modern way, like a low, sleek, futuristic car or a strange, futuristic suit of clothing. The word can also describe a work of fiction that's set in the future, like a futuristic thriller which takes place in another galaxy. When it's capitalized, Futuristic means of or about the Futurism art movement, an early twentieth century Italian group that focused on speed, technology, and contemporary industry.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The problem is, of course, that reality is much more complicated than futuristic visions sold by “The Jetsons,” “Minority Report” or the cultural marketers of Silicon Valley.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
Built in 2017, the futuristic appearance continues to attract attention.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
More than 30 years before Elon Musk unveiled the Tesla Model X, another entrepreneur sought to shake up the auto world with a futuristic vehicle whose doors opened like a bird’s wings.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
At Neom, the planned futuristic city that called for two 1,600-foot skyscrapers running 106 miles, officials had already been quietly ratcheting back plans, leaving a gaping 75-mile trench across the desert.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
Maybe I fly futuristic jets that run on meteors or something!
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
