resistant to change; prefers keeping existing systems
Grammar Patterns
forward-looking + noun
be forward-looking
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
While all three words describe positive, change-oriented qualities, each has a different focus. Progressive emphasizes openness to social or political reform and modern ideas — a progressive school might update its teaching methods. Visionary suggests someone who imagines bold, far-off possibilities that others have not yet seen, like a visionary architect designing cities that run entirely on solar power. Innovative focuses on creating new methods or products — an innovative startup introduces technology nobody has used before. Forward-looking is more practical: it means preparing wisely for known future trends, such as a forward-looking government investing in flood defenses as sea levels rise.
Formed in English by combining the adverb 'forward' (meaning 'toward the future') with the adjective 'looking' (derived from the verb 'look'). First recorded in the early 19th century.