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
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"We Grow Accustomed to the Dark" by Emily Dickinson
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Physics - Introductory
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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:
In exchange for narrower networks and stricter prior-authorization rules, enrollees can choose plans with extra benefits, such as dental and vision coverage, prepaid debit cards to buy healthy food, or transportation to the doctor.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
“You know, in a very basic sense, how to hold it, what to do with the sword. Everyone has a vision of what that looks and feels like, and people get it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
Khan's lawyer claimed at the time that his client had 15% vision left in his right eye after prison authorities failed to take action.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Firstly, they asked that the medical board directed by the Supreme Court "be permitted to complete a full and independent assessment" of Khan's health, "particularly the reported loss of vision in his right eye".
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
The vision was as vivid as a lightning flash.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Senate race, both Ken Paxton and James Talarico have been campaigning around the state, meeting voters everywhere from restaurants to music halls as they’ve pitched their political visions.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026
From their similar visions a decade ago, Transit and Unnamed were born separately, and have taken very different paths to sustainability.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
"I had visions of him pushing me into the room and closing the door behind me."
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Once the viewer understands where Refn is headed, they can submit themselves to his grotesque neon visions.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
“You mentioned ‘drastic measures’ a moment ago,” I began, visions of the orange tomcat racing through my head.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
