visionary
VIZH-uhn-er-ee
/ˈvɪʒənri/
A person with original, far-sighted ideas about what the future will or could be like; thinking about or planning the future with imagination or wisdom.
Combines imaginative foresight with grand, transformative goals.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'visio' (the act of seeing). A visionary sees beyond what currently exists into possibilities invisible to others.
Word relationships
- prophet: Prophet has religious or predictive connotations, whereas visionary emphasizes practical forward-looking innovation.
- shortsighted: Shortsighted describes a failure to consider long-term future consequences or opportunities.
Commonly confused with
- illusionary: Illusionary means deceptive or false; visionary means far-sighted and imaginative.
Word family
- vision (noun): The ability to think about or plan the future with wisdom.
Collocations
- visionary leader
- visionary thinker
- visionary project
Idioms & expressions
- ahead of one's time
Example sentences
- "Steve Jobs was widely regarded as a technology visionary who foresaw how personal computing would transform society." Tech industry assessment
- "The city council adopted a visionary urban master plan that replaced highways with public parks." Urban design proposal
Memory hook
A VISIONARY sees a clear VISION of tomorrow. Seeing tomorrow before it arrives.
When not to use
Do not use for practical short-term planners focused on immediate maintenance.
Fun facts
- Leonardo da Vinci sketched helicopter designs 400 years before aviation became reality, earning him the title of quintessential visionary.
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