visionary
VIZH-uh-ner-ee
/ˈvɪʒ.ən.ri/
A person with original ideas about what the future will or could be like; planning or planning with foresight.
Can occasionally carry a negative nuance of being impractical or overly idealistic, but in modern business, it is almost exclusively positive, denoting genius foresight.
The story behind the word. In the 17th century, a 'visionary' was someone who saw literal phantoms, ghosts, or supernatural visions. It was often used as an insult for someone who was crazy or disconnected from reality. It wasn't until the 19th and 20th centuries that the word shifted to describe a practical genius who could 'see' future trends and possibilities.
Word relationships
- dreamer: Dreamer often implies someone whose ideas are impractical and unlikely to happen, whereas visionary implies a dreamer who has a structured, inspiring path to make those ideas real.
- prophet: Prophet has religious or mystical connotations of predicting the future, while visionary is grounded in human intellect, design, and strategic foresight.
- pragmatist: A pragmatist focuses on practical, immediate, and realistic actions rather than grand future ideals.
Commonly confused with
- idealist: An idealist is guided by high moral standards or values, whereas a visionary is guided by a specific, highly creative mental picture of the future.
Word family
- vision (noun): The ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.
Collocations
- visionary leader
- visionary thinking
- visionary project
- praised as a visionary
Example sentences
- "He was a visionary who anticipated the mobile computing revolution decades before it occurred." An obituary for an influential tech leader.
- "While some dismissed the floating city design as a pipe dream, others praised it as a visionary masterpiece." A critique of a bold but risky architectural proposal.
Memory hook
A visionary is a 'vision' missionary—someone on a mission to bring their mental pictures to life. A visionary sees what is invisible to others.
When not to use
Do not use for someone who is merely highly organized or good at short-term planning. It requires a grand, long-term, and highly creative outlook.
Fun facts
- Nikola Tesla is widely considered one of history's greatest visionaries; he predicted wireless communication, smartphones, and the internet in the early 1900s.
Related words
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