visionary

[vizh-uh-ner-ee]

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.

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

/ 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

noun

1. a visionary person

Other Word Forms

• visionariness noun
• nonvisionary adjective
• unvisionary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of visionary¹

First recorded in 1640–50; vision + -ary

Example Sentences

Around a century ago, composers couldn’t get enough of lustful, visionary nuns.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Fellow pop iconoclast Madonna has already declared herself a fan, posting a message to Rosalía on Instagram, saying: "I can't stop listening! You are a true visionary!!!"

Read more on BBC

When Cook eventually steps down, some analysts want the company to appoint a more visionary, product-minded CEO who can better innovate in the age of AI.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“The leaders of the American resistance were not utopian visionaries but, rather, an assemblage of pragmatic statesmen accustomed to negotiating the space between ideals and realities,” Mr. Ellis writes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The problem is it’s not clear Musk has the unique public and political profile as America’s visionary entrepreneur he once had.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

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