1
: a distant view through or along an avenue or opening : prospect
2
: an extensive mental view (as over a stretch of time or a series of events)
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Vista is generally used today for broad sweeping views of the kind you might see from a mountaintop. But the word originally meant an avenue-like view, narrowed by a line of trees on either side. And vista has also long been used (like view and outlook) to mean a mental scan of the future—as if you were riding down a long grand avenue and what you could see a mile or so ahead of you was where you'd be in the very near future.
Examples of vista in a Sentence
Noun
a gorgeous vista of the mountains from the front window
Recent Examples on the Web
Amplified Content Studio, Mercury News, 30 May 2025
Photo : Noel Kleinman The fireside living room overlooks sweeping mountain vistas.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 May 2025
It’s located smack-dab in the middle of the city, where guests can easily access tons of hiking and mountain biking trailheads that lead to some of the most jaw-dropping vistas in the entire country.
—Annie Archer, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2025
Each has a different trailhead, offering options in length, difficulty, vistas, and plant and animal life.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vista
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Noun
The Museum of Natural History, located within Morro Bay State Park, is a great stop for families, offering interactive exhibits and sweeping vistas.
—Amplified Content Studio, Mercury News, 30 May 2025
Photo : Noel Kleinman The fireside living room overlooks sweeping mountain vistas.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 May 2025
It’s located smack-dab in the middle of the city, where guests can easily access tons of hiking and mountain biking trailheads that lead to some of the most jaw-dropping vistas in the entire country.
—Annie Archer, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2025
Each has a different trailhead, offering options in length, difficulty, vistas, and plant and animal life.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vista
Cite this Entry
“Vista.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vista. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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Geographical Definition
Vista
geographical name
Vis·ta
ˈvi-stə 
city in southwestern California north of San Diego population 93,834
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