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visionary

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noun

1
as in diviner
one who predicts future events or developments according to Greek myth, Cassandra was a visionary who was endowed with the gift of inerrant prophecy but fated to never be believed

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in dreamer
one whose conduct is guided more by the image of perfection than by the real world 19th-century visionaries who founded short-lived communities in which everyone was supposed to live in perfect peace and harmony

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective visionary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of visionary are chimerical, fanciful, fantastic, imaginary, and quixotic. While all these words mean "unreal or unbelievable," visionary stresses impracticality or incapability of realization.

visionary schemes

How is chimerical related to other words for visionary?

Chimerical combines the implication of visionary and fantastic.

chimerical dreams of future progress

When might fanciful be a better fit than visionary?

In some situations, the words fanciful and visionary are roughly equivalent. However, fanciful suggests the free play of the imagination.

a teller of fanciful stories

When can fantastic be used instead of visionary?

The meanings of fantastic and visionary largely overlap; however, fantastic implies incredibility or strangeness beyond belief.

a fantastic world inhabited by monsters

When is imaginary a more appropriate choice than visionary?

Although the words imaginary and visionary have much in common, imaginary applies to something which is fictitious and purely the product of one's imagination.

an imaginary desert isle

When could quixotic be used to replace visionary?

While in some cases nearly identical to visionary, quixotic implies a devotion to romantic or chivalrous ideals unrestrained by ordinary prudence and common sense.

a quixotic crusade

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of visionary
Adjective
Combs won praise for his visionary growth and brand management. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025 Brian Wilson, the fragile genius and visionary force behind the Beach Boys, has died at the age of 82. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
Noun
This gathering of visionaries aims to create sustainable, inclusive, and transformative travel experiences. Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025 Fortune Fred Smith, the visionary founder of FedEx who transformed global commerce by pioneering overnight delivery, has died at 80. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for visionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for visionary
Adjective
  • The two have flirted with the idea of a romantic relationship many times since then, but have yet to truly go there onscreen.
    EW.com, EW.com, 27 June 2025
  • There'd always been someone, not even necessarily a romantic partner.
    Glamour, Glamour, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • The prospect of higher inflation even as present data looks mild has led to a staredown between the Fed, which has advocated for a cautious approach on cutting interest rates in case tariffs do worsen inflation, and Trump, who has aggressively called for big cuts.
    Derek Saul, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • That’s a problem for investors, who regard Powell as a serious, cautious economist who operates independently of Trump’s political desires.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • That spells trouble in the Indo-Pacific, a watery region where military leaders and Beltway diviners believe a war over Taiwan could erupt as soon as 2027.
    Colin Demarest, Axios, 8 Mar. 2025
  • That spells trouble in the Indo-Pacific, a watery region where military leaders and Beltway diviners believe a war over Taiwan could erupt as soon as 2027.
    Colin Demarest, Axios, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • At a Los Angeles house party, an aspiring musician pursues her crush through a crowd of hopeful dreamers chasing empty promises.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025
  • For all the dreamers out there, Sterling K. Brown’s got the summertime TV escape for you.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • By contrast, the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands have been allocated to Wi-Fi for a long time, are heavily used, and modifying existing devices to stop using parts of the bands would be impractical.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025
  • This sheer volume makes manual auditing impractical and reinforces the need for intelligent tools that can scale.
    Prashant Kondle, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Even with the security, though, collectors and fans are able to get up close to items that may have previously seemed mythical.
    Larry Holder, New York Times, 21 June 2025
  • The electric Nebraska has become a mythical object for Springsteen fans over the years, and there’s been a lot of evidence suggesting the tapes do exist.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2025
Adjective
  • If allowed, Andrew will likely bring further reputational damage to the monarchy at a time when the royal ship needs a careful steer.
    Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
  • In reality, Israel overpowered Iran’s military and outwitted its intelligence with stunning efficiency, demonstrating years, if not decades, of careful preparation in under two weeks.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Also, keeping with Jewish tradition, there would be an empty seat for prophet Elijah as a symbol of the hope of redemption.
    Jim Halterman, Variety, 15 June 2025
  • Today, Knight sounds less like a rap-world villain and more like a weary prophet, but still fierce in conviction.
    Danielle Bacher, People.com, 13 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Visionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/visionary. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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