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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
Carrier contends that early Christianity began as a purely visionary movement worshipping a celestial figure, an angelic being who took on human flesh to be crucified by Satan, buried, and reborn in the sky. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025 The opportunity to bring Jamie Lloyd's singular, visionary ideas to life onstage is an honor unlike any other. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
Beleaguered French President Emmanuel Macron — whose government keeps collapsing – is reborn as a Gaullist visionary, vowing to rebuild Europe’s military strength. Stephen Collinson, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025 Concerning the avant-garde, John Quinn, the visionary behind the 1913 Armory Show, was more adventurous, leaning into Cubism and Duchamp’s radical experiments where Barnes balked. Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for visionary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for visionary
Adjective
  • There's something romantic about the sight of flowers languidly cascading over the sides of pots.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Sports events, issues with your kids and romantic matters also might surprise you.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Dawn Staley, who’s undefeated in NCAA finals, is cautious in taking that fact into consideration.
    Roberta F. Rodrigues, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Those with heart conditions, including a recent heart attack or stroke, should also be cautious about taking medications that contain PDE5 inhibitors.30 The safety and side effects of the ingredients in ExtenZe have not been studied in clinical trials.
    Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 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
  • Questions like these have been asked of diviners around the world throughout history—and still are today.
    Michelle Aroney and David Zeitlyn, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Baseball’s opening day is for the believers, the diehards and dreamers.
    Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Execution separates successful people from dreamers.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In regions where extending traditional power lines is costly or impractical, solar microgrids offer a viable, scalable alternative.
    ILYA Likhov, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • These trees provide good wildlife value, so their removal may be both undesirable and impractical, especially since spores can travel on the wind for quite a distance.
    Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • This relic of constitutional law, which the Supreme Court hasn’t taken seriously since its quiet death in the New Deal era, is more mythical than historical—holding, more or less, that Congress cannot delegate its lawmaking power to another branch of government.
    Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
  • This name originates from a Greek myth. Eunice: Another historic Greek name, the mythical Eunice was the sea-nymph daughter of Nereus and Doris.
    Lydia Wang, Parents, 8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Many target companies use different software and services—Google vs. Microsoft, on-premise vs. cloud, etc. Unraveling and consolidating these technologies is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution.
    David Van Ronk, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • But the discussion around Golden this season has been muted, strained and careful all the way to the end, Monday’s dramatic 65-63 comeback win against Houston to seize the title.
    Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • On the sublime 12-inch version—dub itself being a kind of ghost music—Rico Rodriguez takes his long solo as if standing atop a prophet’s peak, overlooking a city in flames.
    Ian Penman, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
  • During this time, the Nation of Islam’s theology included the idea that God came embodied in the person of Fard Muhammad, and that Elijah Muhammad was his prophet.
    Ahmed Ali Akbar, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Visionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/visionary. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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