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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
With his signature blend of lo-fi aesthetics and sharp, high-concept wit, Reece delivers another visionary exploration of Oklahoma and a darkly comic meditation on the fractured American soul. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 June 2025 Córdova remains optimistic about the potential for philanthropy to play a visionary role. John Drake, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Noun
Some critics celebrated her as a humanist visionary; others saw an art monster. Max Norman, New Yorker, 13 June 2025 Wilson was the visionary of the defining American rock band, one who competed with the Beatles to move pop music into new realms of sophistication and invention, while writing songs capturing the longing of an ascendant youth culture. August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for visionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for visionary
Adjective
  • Eldest daughter Nancy wrote incisive comic and romantic novels about her social set—as well as a sendup of fascism, Wigs on the Green.
    Judy Berman, Time, 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
  • Fire officials warn the public to be cautious and clean up debris around homes as the warmer months bring out more rattlesnakes.
    Helena Wegner, Sacbee.com, 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
  • Adding more throughput is unwieldy and impractical.
    Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • Maison Irem Pearl Bow Shoe Charms While swapping standard nylon laces for pearl strands might be an impractical venture, clipping on two little pearl bows at your sneakers’ centers is an effortless maneuver that will pay dividends in sheer beauty.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 29 May 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
  • However, be careful of blurring the distinction between professional and personal relationships.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 19 June 2025
  • While the latest inflation and jobs market reports showed that any disruption caused by tariffs has so far been minor, the Fed is clearly being careful about what could happen in the coming weeks and months.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 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 3 Jul. 2025.

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