Visionary

adj.hopeful, capableprofessional

What it means

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
ahead of the curve
when early recognition of a trend suits informal praise
not when The phrase is trend-focused and too casual for lasting social vision.
everyday
imaginative
when originality of ideas matters more than feasibility
not when Imaginative praise does not promise foresight or implementation.
warm
dreamer
when idealism and possibility should sound affectionate
not when Dreamer can imply impracticality and is risky in a resume.
professional
forward-thinking
when anticipating future needs is the practical strength
not when Forward-thinking is less ambitious and may lack a coherent vision.
professional
innovative
when a novel method or product creates value now
not when Innovation can be incremental and need not offer a long-range direction.
professional
pioneering
when first practical work opens a new field
not when Pioneering requires action at the frontier, while visionary may describe planning before execution.
formal
far-sighted
when long-term consequences are carefully anticipated
not when Far-sighted can describe prudent planning without a bold new possibility.
formal
prescient
when later events prove an earlier judgment remarkably accurate
not when 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.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.