adventure
Americannoun
-
an exciting or very unusual experience.
-
participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises.
the spirit of adventure.
-
a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.
-
a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture.
-
Obsolete.
-
peril; danger; risk.
-
chance; fortune; luck.
-
verb (used with object)
-
to risk or hazard.
-
to take the chance of; dare.
-
to venture to say or utter.
to adventure an opinion.
verb (used without object)
-
to take the risk involved.
-
to venture; hazard.
noun
-
a risky undertaking of unknown outcome
-
an exciting or unexpected event or course of events
-
a hazardous financial operation; commercial speculation
-
obsolete
-
danger or misadventure
-
chance
-
verb
-
to take a risk or put at risk
-
to dare to go or enter (into a place, dangerous activity, etc)
-
to dare to say (something)
he adventured his opinion
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of adventure
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English aventure, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Vulgar Latin adventūra (unrecorded) “what must happen,” feminine (originally neuter plural) of Latin adventūrus future participle of advenīre “to arrive”; ad- ad- replacing a- a- 5; see advent, -ure
Explanation
An adventure is an exciting and probably risky trip, effort, or undertaking. Let's go explore the jungle! Don't be scared — it'll be an adventure! To a kid from the city, a ride on the subway is just another trip across town. To a kid from the suburbs, though, it can be a real adventure — a trip to a strange place with all sorts of strange people, new sights, and surprising twists and turns. If you've ever been to the Great Adventure amusement park, you know that the whole place is designed to make you feel as though you're on a wild, exciting, and thrilling trip — a great adventure. People often go on an adventure hoping something wonderful will come of it.
Vocabulary lists containing adventure
Words Every Pirate Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Beowulf vocabulary
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Introduction to Fiction
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It seemed like a way to elevate the concept of friendship. It also has an element of play, adventure and fun, since having fun is part of the bond too.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026
Cather’s generous pioneer tableau represented, to borrow her words, “the country, the conditions, the whole adventure of our childhood.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
There was another positive review from Screen International's Tim Grierson, who said it was "another delightful adventure that mines fresh emotional terrain while producing plenty of hearty laughs".
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
The wildlife park said it believed Mary made an "abnormally large leap" to embark on her 15-day adventure.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
This is what comes from getting a proper sleep and a hot breakfast after surviving a difficult adventure in the wilderness.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
