Able to imagine a better future and shape a convincing direction toward it.
Reach for it when praising foresight joined to an idea that can guide real action
Her visionary transit plan reserved rail corridors decades before the city could build them.
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional |
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| formal |
playful
ahead of the curve
Fits when early recognition of a trend suits informal praise
Careful The phrase is trend-focused and too casual for lasting social vision.
everyday
Fits when originality of ideas matters more than feasibility
Careful Imaginative praise does not promise foresight or implementation.
warm
Fits when idealism and possibility should sound affectionate
Careful Dreamer can imply impracticality and is risky in a resume.
professional
Fits when anticipating future needs is the practical strength
Careful Forward-thinking is less ambitious and may lack a coherent vision.
professional
Fits when a novel method or product creates value now
Careful Innovation can be incremental and need not offer a long-range direction.
professional
Fits when first practical work opens a new field
Careful Pioneering requires action at the frontier, while visionary may describe planning before execution.
formal
Fits when long-term consequences are carefully anticipated
Careful Far-sighted can describe prudent planning without a bold new possibility.
formal
Fits when later events prove an earlier judgment remarkably accurate
Careful Prescient looks backward at a prediction; visionary looks forward toward a created future.
visionary leader
A visionary leader makes the distant goal concrete enough for others to challenge.
visionary approach
Their visionary approach treated shade trees as public health infrastructure.
truly visionary
The truly visionary proposal included maintenance funding, not just a dramatic rendering.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
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