vision

vision — noun

1. a clear picture or idea that you form in your mind about how something could be

1.nounB1
Definition

a clear picture or idea that you form in your mind about how something could be in the future, or about the way you would like things to be

Example

Mauricio had a clear vision of the house he wanted to build one day.

vision + of + noun phrase for a future scenario

The architect's vision for the new school included a large playground and a music room.

Common collocations
  • bold vision
  • clear vision
  • shared vision
  • have a vision of
  • vision statement
Synonyms
  • image

    less future-oriented than vision; can be any mental picture

  • idea

    broader and more general; an idea may not be visual

  • dream

    more emotional and personal than vision; may imply hope rather than planning

Grammar Patterns

vision + of + noun phrase

vision + that-clause

Usage Note

Often followed by of + noun phrase or a that-clause describing a desired or imagined future state.

Common Mistakes

I have a vision to start a business.
I have a vision of starting a business.
vision usually takes of + gerund, not a to-infinitive.

2. something that seems real to your senses during sleep, deep thought, or a change

2.nounB2
Definition

something that seems real to your senses during sleep, deep thought, or a changed mental state, although it has no physical existence — often tied to religious devotion, drugs, or a medical condition

Example

After three days without sleep, the hiker began having visions of strange figures in the forest.

have visions of + noun phrase

The nun described a vision in which a bright light appeared and spoke to her.

Common collocations
  • have a vision
  • religious vision
  • mystical vision
  • vision of angels
  • vision from God
Synonyms
  • hallucination

    medical term; more negative than vision, implies a symptom of illness

  • apparition

    suggests a ghost or spirit that appears, often frightening

  • illusion

    a false perception caused by misinterpreting something real

Grammar Patterns

have a vision

vision + of + noun phrase

Usage Note

In religious contexts, a vision is often considered a meaningful spiritual experience. In medical contexts, it may be described as a hallucination. The word itself is neutral — context determines whether it is seen as positive or negative.

3. the capacity to picture where a company, community, or field is heading and to m

3.nounB2
Definition

the capacity to picture where a company, community, or field is heading and to make smart decisions based on that forward-looking understanding

Example

The CEO's vision helped the company grow from a small shop into a global brand.

possessive + vision + verb for successful change

A successful leader needs vision to guide a team through periods of change.

Common collocations
  • strategic vision
  • business vision
  • forward-looking vision
  • lack of vision
  • vision for the future
Synonyms
  • foresight

    focuses on predicting outcomes; less about creative imagination than vision

  • insight

    deep understanding of the present situation rather than future planning

  • imagination

    broader than vision; can be purely creative and not necessarily practical or future-oriented

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

vision + for + noun phrase

vision + of + noun phrase

Common Mistakes

The manager had a vision for employees.' (too vague)
The manager had a vision for the company's growth.
vision needs a specific scope such as a project, organization, or policy area.

4. the natural ability to see with your eyes, including how clearly you see things

4.nounA2
Definition

the natural ability to see with your eyes, including how clearly you see things

Example

After the operation, the patient's vision in her left eye improved a lot.

possessive + vision + prepositional phrase specifying eye

Rania wears glasses because her vision is not very clear at a long distance.

Common collocations
  • poor vision
  • good vision
  • twenty-twenty vision
  • night vision
  • peripheral vision
  • field of vision
  • lose your vision
Synonyms
  • sight

    more general and common in everyday speech; vision is slightly more formal

  • eyesight

    used mainly for the physical quality of seeing clearly, like the result of a test

Antonyms
  • blindness

    the complete lack of the ability to see

Grammar Patterns

possessive + vision

vision + noun modifier

Usage Note

Vision in this sense is uncountable — you cannot say 'a vision' to mean 'the ability to see.' Also common in compound nouns: night vision, tunnel vision, peripheral vision.

Common Mistakes

I have a bad vision.
I have bad vision.
this sense is uncountable, so no article.

5. a person who is so beautiful or strikingly dressed that the sight of them is imp

5.nounC1
Definition

a person who is so beautiful or strikingly dressed that the sight of them is impressive and memorable

Example

Dressed in a long red gown, she was a vision of elegance at the ceremony.

a vision of + abstract quality (elegance, beauty)

In her white wedding dress, Putri looked a vision of perfect beauty.

Common collocations
  • a vision of beauty
  • a vision in white / black / red
  • a vision of loveliness
  • a sheer vision
Synonyms
  • sight

    can describe anything worth seeing, not only people ('a sight for sore eyes')

  • beauty

    describes the quality itself or a person; more direct and less formal than vision

Grammar Patterns

a vision of + noun phrase

a vision in + article of clothing / color

Usage Note

This sense is nearly always preceded by the indefinite article a and followed by of + quality or in + clothing. It is used in positive, admiring contexts and sounds rather formal or literary.

vision — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe something formed in the mind, but they differ in scope and purpose. An image is a purely visual mental picture — you can have an image of a face without any deeper meaning attached. An idea is broader and more abstract; it can be a thought, a belief, or a suggestion that does not need to be visual at all. A dream is more personal and emotional than vision; dreams are often things you deeply hope for but may not have a practical plan to achieve. A concept is an abstract or theoretical framework, more structured than a simple idea and often used in academic or technical contexts. Vision sits between dream and concept: like a dream, it has emotional force and a desired outcome; like a concept, it involves planning and clear thinking. For example, "her vision for the school" suggests she has both a clear picture and a practical path forward, whereas "her dream for the school" only expresses hope, and "her concept for the school" sounds academic rather than personal.

image ↗idea ↗dream ↗concept ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • field of vision
  • line of vision
  • range of vision

Adverbs

Phrases

  • have a vision
  • vision of the future
  • share a vision

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Vision comes from Latin visio, meaning 'the act of seeing,' from videre, 'to see.' It entered English in the 13th century through Old French. The original meaning was simply 'eyesight' or 'the sense of sight,' but by the 14th century it had developed the sense of 'something seen in the imagination or in a dream.' The meaning 'foresight and wise planning' emerged in business and political contexts during the 20th century. The verb form 'to vision' (meaning to imagine or envision) appeared in the 19th century, though 'envision' — formed by adding the prefix en- — has become more common in American English. Related English words from the same Latin root include video (I see), visible, visual, revise (to look again), and supervise (to look over).