vision
Americannoun
-
visions
plural
-
the act or power of sensing with the eyes; sight.
-
the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be.
prophetic vision;
the vision of an entrepreneur.
- Synonyms:
- discernment, perception
-
an experience in which a personage, thing, or event appears vividly or credibly to the mind, although not actually present, often under the influence of a divine or other agency.
a heavenly messenger appearing in a vision.
-
something seen or otherwise perceived during such an experience.
The vision revealed its message.
- Synonyms:
- chimera, phantasm, apparition
-
a vivid, imaginative conception or anticipation.
visions of wealth and glory.
-
something seen; an object of sight.
-
a scene, person, etc., of extraordinary beauty.
The sky was a vision of red and pink.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
the act, faculty, or manner of perceiving with the eye; sight
-
-
the image on a television screen
-
( as modifier )
vision control
-
-
the ability or an instance of great perception, esp of future developments
a man of vision
-
a mystical or religious experience of seeing some supernatural event, person, etc
the vision of St John of the Cross
-
that which is seen, esp in such a mystical experience
-
(sometimes plural) a vivid mental image produced by the imagination
he had visions of becoming famous
-
a person or thing of extraordinary beauty
-
the stated aims and objectives of a business or other organization
verb
Synonym Usage
See dream.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of vision
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin vīsiōn-, stem of vīsiō “sight,” literally “a seeing,” equivalent to vīs(us) “seen,” past participle of vidēre “to see” + -iō -ion
Explanation
If you are getting your eyes checked, a doctor is checking on your vision — or your ability to see. But if you have visions of unicorns romping over rainbows, that's a whole other issue that the eye doctor can't address. The noun vision describes how well you can see, but it can also refer to things you may see, but that aren't physically there. Sometimes people claim to have religious visions of God, angels, the Virgin Mary, and so on. The word can also be used to describe something that is lovely: "The bride was a vision in white."
Vocabulary lists containing vision
Macbeth's "Is this a dagger..." soliloquy
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"We Grow Accustomed to the Dark" by Emily Dickinson
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Physics - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The vision of a fully integrated, "end-to-end" space sector is moving closer to reality.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Speaking to AFP, Ignat explained that the new turrets, which have been seen by AFP journalists in the Ukrainian capital, use "optical vision and artificial intelligence to eliminate the human factor and deliver strikes".
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
Offering a a different vision to the Mecca alliance, it may eventually be reactivated creating a new economic Eurasian region.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
How are they communicating their work, their vision and is it resonating with me?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
“Because the vision this garden showed me isn’t anything I haven’t seen before.”
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
She believed her craft, a gift from the Almighty, emerged from her conversations with God and lifelong dreamlike visions of Genesis, Revelation and the Great Flood.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
But the visit showed a surprising alignment of visions between the U.S. and Chinese presidents, embracing fierce competition that avoids miscalculation and conflict.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
But that is the great joy of Anderson’s “Resident Evil” films: They are so remarkably stylized, so absurdly over-the-top, so referential and deferent to Anderson’s own inspirations, that they’ve become singular visions.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
Most of all, the movie’s distinction is in its stomach-churning smorgasbord of wild nightmare visions produced by the animatronics and makeup departments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
How long did she have before another wave of the poison-induced visions took over?
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
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.
