adventure

American  

[ad-ven-cher] / ædˈvɛn tʃər /

noun

1. an exciting or very unusual experience.

2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises.

   the spirit of adventure.

3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

4. a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture.

5. Obsolete.

   1. peril; danger; risk.

   2. chance; fortune; luck.

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verb (used with object)

adventured, adventuring

1. to risk or hazard.

2. to take the chance of; dare.

3. to venture to say or utter.

   to adventure an opinion.

verb (used without object)

adventured, adventuring

1. to take the risk involved.

2. to venture; hazard.

adventure British  

/ ədˈvɛntʃə /

noun

1. a risky undertaking of unknown outcome

2. an exciting or unexpected event or course of events

3. a hazardous financial operation; commercial speculation

4. obsolete

   1. danger or misadventure

   2. chance

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verb

1. to take a risk or put at risk

2. to dare to go or enter (into a place, dangerous activity, etc)

3. to dare to say (something)

   he adventured his opinion

Other Word Forms

• adventureful adjective
• unadventuring adjective

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; advent, -ure

Example Sentences

I even went on CNN and BBC Radio to talk about the adventure Google’s Gemini sent me on to Saltburn-by-the-Sea in northeast England.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

This is a rebellious, empathetic adventure story about a grandmother who catches on that her society needs to learn how to think freely.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Space adventure flick "Project Hail Mary" topped the North American box office for a second straight week with $54.5 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Here, siblings Mario and Luigi team with Princess Peach and Toad on an interstellar adventure and face off against the nefarious fire-breathing Bowser and his son.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

The start of the adventure was the best part, anyway.

From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott

Related Words

• experience
• exploit
• feat
• scene
• trip