visionary

American  

[vizh-uh-ner-ee] / ˈvɪʒ əˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. given to or characterized by fanciful, not presently workable, or unpractical ideas, views, or schemes.

   a visionary enthusiast.

   Synonyms:

   impracticable, impractical

   Antonyms:

   practical

2. given to or concerned with seeing visions.

3. belonging to or seen in a vision.

4. unreal; imaginary.

   visionary evils.

   Synonyms:

   chimerical, illusory, fancied

5. purely idealistic or speculative; impractical; unrealizable.

   a visionary scheme.

   Synonyms:

   unrealistic

6. of, relating to, or proper to a vision.

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noun

plural

visionaries

1. a person of unusually keen foresight.

2. a person who sees visions.

3. a person who is given to audacious, highly speculative, or impractical ideas or schemes; dreamer.

visionary British  

/ ˈvɪʒənərɪ /

adjective

1. marked by vision or foresight

   a visionary leader

2. incapable of being realized or effected; unrealistic

3. (of people) characterized by idealistic or radical ideas, esp impractical ones

4. given to having visions

5. of, of the nature of, or seen in visions

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noun

1. a visionary person

Other Word Forms

• nonvisionary adjective
• unvisionary adjective
• visionariness noun

Etymology

Origin of visionary

First recorded in 1640–50; vision + -ary

Example Sentences

Guided by visionary coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana has spent the College Football Playoff walloping blueblood programs like Alabama and Knight’s Oregon Ducks.

From The Wall Street Journal

This is Mark Zuckerberg, the paranoid visionary who is always on the lookout for the next thing that could disrupt Meta.

From Barron's

“These Divided Isles” describes how terrorists and visionaries followed a wandering path to peace at the end of the 20th century, and the reasons why the fragile equilibrium has been put in jeopardy again.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The shift reflected Jobs’ evolution from an ambitious young innovator to a visionary with a distinct and enduring personal brand.”

From Los Angeles Times

Elkhanah Pulitzer’s direction segued smoothly from the real to the visionary.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ambitious
• grandiose
• idealistic
• introspective
• lofty
• noble
• quixotic
• radical
• starry-eyed