In this antonym question, choose the word that is opposite in meaning to "VISIONARY".

Introduction / Context:
Antonym questions test whether you understand the meaning of a word deeply enough to identify its opposite. "Visionary" is often used to describe a person who imagines future possibilities and plans based on ideal or imaginative thinking. The opposite would be someone who focuses strictly on practical realities. Recognising this contrast between imagination and practicality is the key to solving this question.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The target word is "VISIONARY".
• The options are REALIST, ARTIST, IDEALIST, SOCIALIST.
• The question asks for the word that is opposite in meaning.
• We assume common usage from leadership, business and politics contexts.

Concept / Approach:
"Visionary" describes someone who has strong, original ideas about the future and who often focuses on idealistic goals rather than immediate practical constraints. The natural opposite is "realist," a person who accepts and deals with things as they really are, focusing on practical facts rather than dreams. Artist, idealist and socialist describe other categories of people but do not express the opposite attitude to visionary thinking.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Restate the meaning of "visionary" as someone guided by powerful ideas or dreams about the future.Step 2: Recognise that the opposite attitude is one that emphasises hard facts and present realities over dreams, which is the meaning of "realist."Step 3: Examine "artist," which refers to someone involved in creative arts and is not conceptually opposite to visionary; many artists are visionary themselves.Step 4: Examine "idealist," which is actually similar to visionary, emphasising high ideals rather than practical limits.Step 5: Examine "socialist," which refers to a person who believes in or supports socialism, an economic and political ideology, not an attitude toward reality versus vision.Step 6: Conclude that "realist" is the only option that expresses a contrasting mindset to "visionary."

Verification / Alternative Check:
Consider typical contrasts used in everyday language: people often speak of a "visionary leader" versus a "realist manager." A visionary leader proposes bold, imaginative plans, while a realist focuses on feasibility, constraints and current conditions. Phrases like "He is more of a realist than a visionary" show that the two are often treated as opposites. Substituting "artist," "idealist" or "socialist" into that phrase does not produce a natural opposition.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"Artist" simply describes a profession or role and can itself involve visionary qualities, so it is not opposite. "Idealist" emphasises belief in high principles or ideals and is very close in meaning to visionary. In many contexts, these words overlap more than they contrast. "Socialist" belongs to the political domain and has nothing to do with the contrast between imaginative future-thinking and practical realism. None of these three options captures the conceptual opposite the way "realist" does.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates pick "idealist" because they misread the question as asking for a related word instead of an opposite. Others choose "artist" simply because vision and creativity seem connected. To avoid this, always re-check whether the question is about synonyms or antonyms. When it says "opposite in meaning," you must look for a word that would naturally be placed on the other side of a comparison, such as "visionary versus realist."

Final Answer:
The word opposite in meaning to "VISIONARY" is REALIST.