visionary
[vizh-uh-ner-ee]
- given to or characterized by fanciful, not presently workable, or unpractical ideas, views, or schemes: a visionary enthusiast.
- given to or concerned with seeing visions.
- belonging to or seen in a vision.
- unreal; imaginary: visionary evils.
- purely idealistic or speculative; impractical; unrealizable: a visionary scheme.
- of, relating to, or proper to a vision.
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- a person of unusually keen foresight.
- a person who sees visions.
- a person who is given to audacious, highly speculative, or impractical ideas or schemes; dreamer.
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Origin of visionary
Synonyms
See more synonyms for visionary on Thesaurus.com1. impractical, impracticable. 4. fancied, illusory, chimerical. 5. unrealistic.
Antonyms
1. practical.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for visionary
Contemporary Examples
Ken Russell, the now sadly deceased British film director, told me he considered Jarman a visionary.
I wanted to talk about your career as well, since you were honored here with the Persol Tribute to Visionary Talent Award.
Frances McDormand on 'Olive Kitteridge,' Dropping LSD, and Her Beef With FX's 'Fargo'Marlow Stern
September 3, 2014
Dream Cars: Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas is on display at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta until September 7.
Our visionary scientists have found the Achilles heel of yet another enemy of the State—the Superbug!
He cites Jim Collins and Jerry Porras's Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies.
Historical Examples
It was precisely on the pattern of that worn by the visionary Maid.
The Threefold Destiny (From "Twice Told Tales")Nathaniel Hawthorne
He had formerly been ridiculed as a visionary, he was now pitied as a desperado.
Gone were the days of sarcastic ridicule, of visionary politics.
Stories of a Western TownOctave Thanet
There were others who tried to draw him into visionary speculations.
I remembered that he had looked to you for the perpetuation of his visionary soul.
Under Western EyesJoseph Conrad
visionary
- marked by vision or foresighta visionary leader
- incapable of being realized or effected; unrealistic
- (of people) characterized by idealistic or radical ideas, esp impractical ones
- given to having visions
- of, of the nature of, or seen in visions
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- a visionary person
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for visionary
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper