visionary

American  

[vizh-uh-ner-ee] / ˈvɪʒ əˌnɛr i /

adjective

1. given to or characterized by fanciful, not presently workable, or unpractical ideas, views, or schemes.

   a visionary enthusiast.

   Synonyms:

   impracticable , impractical

   Antonyms:

   practical

2. given to or concerned with seeing visions.

3. belonging to or seen in a vision.

4. unreal; imaginary.

   visionary evils.

   Synonyms:

   chimerical , illusory , fancied

5. purely idealistic or speculative; impractical; unrealizable.

   a visionary scheme.

   Synonyms:

   unrealistic

6. of, relating to, or proper to a vision.

---

noun

PLURAL

visionaries

1. a person of unusually keen foresight.

2. a person who sees visions.

3. a person who is given to audacious, highly speculative, or impractical ideas or schemes; dreamer.

visionary British  

/ ˈvɪʒənərɪ /

adjective

1. marked by vision or foresight

   a visionary leader

2. incapable of being realized or effected; unrealistic

3. (of people) characterized by idealistic or radical ideas, esp impractical ones

4. given to having visions

5. of, of the nature of, or seen in visions

---

noun

1. a visionary person

Other Word Forms

• nonvisionary adjective
• unvisionary adjective
• visionariness noun

Etymology

Origin of visionary

First recorded in 1640–50; vision + -ary

Example Sentences

What Lululemon is missing, he suggested, is someone like himself: “A company bereft of a visionary loses its singular voice for product and long-term strategy.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Pope Francis was seen as a visionary but one who was not overly worried about creating consensus, leaving behind a somewhat divided Church.

From BBC

Some of the best albums of 2025 came from visionaries who strained against their limitations to realize a work beyond what they themselves once imagined possible.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was also always true that she had nothing to do with causing The Beatles to break up and that she was, and remains, a visionary, a revolutionary, and a highly accomplished and influential artist.

From Salon

Gyngell's family said she died on Saturday in London, describing her as a "culinary visionary who influenced generations of chefs and growers globally to think about food and its connection to the land".

From BBC

Related Words

• ambitious
• grandiose
• idealistic
• introspective
• lofty
• noble
• quixotic
• radical
• starry-eyed