futuristic
/ˌfjuːtʃəˈrɪstɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌfjuːtʃəˈrɪstɪk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌfyü-chə-ˈri-stik/ (ame, mw)
futuristic — adjective
- futuristicpositive
- more futuristiccomparative
- most futuristicsuperlative
1. having a bold, strikingly modern appearance that makes an object or design look
having a bold, strikingly modern appearance that makes an object or design look as if it belongs to a time still ahead of us
The museum's futuristic glass dome towers over the old city streets.
collocation: futuristic + architecture noun (dome, building, bridge)
Kenji stepped inside the showroom and stared at the futuristic motorcycle.
Fatima designed a futuristic chair made of clear plastic and thin metal legs.
The new train station has a futuristic roof that curves like a breaking wave.
Zara tried on the futuristic helmet, which lit up with soft blue lines.
- ultramodern
stronger emphasis on being ahead of the present; 'futuristic' adds the sense of belonging to a later age
- cutting-edge
focuses on using the latest technology now; 'futuristic' suggests a look that seems ahead of current technology
- avant-garde
used mainly in art, music, and fashion for experimental, unconventional work
- old-fashioned
opposite in appearance and style
- retro
deliberately copies past styles, the reverse of looking future-like
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (IMAGINING THE FUTURE): sense 1 applies to how something looks, not to its subject matter or creative content.
常見錯誤
2. concerned with stories, pictures, or ideas about what life and the world might b
concerned with stories, pictures, or ideas about what life and the world might be like in times to come
Linnea read a futuristic novel about cities built deep under the sea.
collocation: futuristic novel / futuristic film
Yusuf watched a futuristic film in which robots care for Earth's last forest.
The students in Ms Okonkwo's class drew futuristic homes on Mars.
Nadia gave a talk full of futuristic ideas about travel in the year 2200.
The design team released a futuristic video showing how people might shop in 2070.
- speculative
broader term; can imagine alternate pasts or presents, not only futures
- forward-looking
more about practical planning; less about creative imagination
- science-fictional
specifically tied to the sci-fi genre
- historical
concerned with the recorded past rather than an imagined future
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (ULTRAMODERN LOOK): sense 2 is about creative content and imagined futures, not about how a physical object appears.