vision

American  

[vizh-uhn] / ˈvɪʒ ən /

noun

• visions
  plural

1. 

   the act or power of sensing with the eyes; sight.

2. the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be.

   prophetic vision;

   the vision of an entrepreneur.

   Synonyms:

   discernment, perception

3. 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.

4. something seen or otherwise perceived during such an experience.

   The vision revealed its message.

   Synonyms:

   chimera, phantasm, apparition

5. a vivid, imaginative conception or anticipation.

   visions of wealth and glory.

6. something seen; an object of sight.

7. a scene, person, etc., of extraordinary beauty.

   The sky was a vision of red and pink.

8. computer vision.

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verb (used with object)

1. to envision, or picture mentally.

   She tried to vision herself in a past century.

vision British  

/ ˈvɪʒən /

noun

1. the act, faculty, or manner of perceiving with the eye; sight

2. 1. the image on a television screen

   2. ( as modifier )

      vision control

3. the ability or an instance of great perception, esp of future developments

   a man of vision

4. a mystical or religious experience of seeing some supernatural event, person, etc

   the vision of St John of the Cross

5. that which is seen, esp in such a mystical experience

6. (sometimes plural) a vivid mental image produced by the imagination

   he had visions of becoming famous

7. a person or thing of extraordinary beauty

8. the stated aims and objectives of a business or other organization

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verb

1. (tr) to see or show in or as if in a vision

Synonym Usage

See dream.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• visionless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• visions
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vision visions

Zoe Kazan’s Cathy, which closely hews to Steinbeck’s original vision, defies easy assumptions about a woman’s wants and needs.

From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026

I realized putting out a project as a label head and allowing artists to share their vision versus how I would do things are two different worlds even under Soulection.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Led by Mr. Casablancas’s vision, the group performed its first show in September 1999 and released a three-track EP in January 2001.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

“This union of artistry and vision transformed the property into a singular masterpiece, embodying the glamour and creative force of Hollywood’s Golden Age,” the description added.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

All were flickering in and out of his vision, there and not there and there again.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

It is also a testament to the democratizing power of the camera: Is there another invention that has enabled people from all walks of life to realize their artistic visions on such a scale?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

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

“We look forward to continuing to work with you to make your visions a reality.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

“Very similarly to how the music industry runs on the enthusiasm of fans and their attention, politicians actually have to compete and energize voters around their visions and their policies,” she added.

From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2026

Over the past several decades, educators, world leaders, and theorists have produced a slurry of manifestos, visions and statements on what education should look like in the 21st century.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• aspect
• conception
• dream
• fantasy
• foresight
• idea
• ideal
• imagination
• insight
• outlook
• perspective
• point of view
• understanding
• view