adventure
Americannoun
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adventures
plural
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an exciting or very unusual experience.
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participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises.
the spirit of adventure.
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a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.
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a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture.
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Obsolete.
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peril; danger; risk.
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chance; fortune; luck.
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verb (used with object)
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to risk or hazard.
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to take the chance of; dare.
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to venture to say or utter.
to adventure an opinion.
verb (used without object)
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to take the risk involved.
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to venture; hazard.
noun
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a risky undertaking of unknown outcome
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an exciting or unexpected event or course of events
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a hazardous financial operation; commercial speculation
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obsolete
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danger or misadventure
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chance
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verb
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to take a risk or put at risk
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to dare to go or enter (into a place, dangerous activity, etc)
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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
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Introduction to Fiction
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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.
See Examples For:
The reviews so far have gone some way to allaying his fear, with US outlet IGN calling it an "exceptional remake of an incredible game and a rich adventure that stands on its own".
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
But their shared lust for adventure created a prickly tension within their family unit, a strain between their passion and parentage that sits at the documentary’s emotional center.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026
What followed was a story that has resonated worldwide as 11 strangers answered the call and helped transform loss and heartbreak into an unforgettable week of connection, companionship and adventure.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026
In many adventure documentaries, the audience expects the main characters to confront the possibility they might die, but they’re the stars telling the story, so of course that won’t happen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
“Miss Lumley, what an extraordinary adventure I have had!” she announced.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
The series centres on the adventures of green-clad warrior Link, who battles the evil demon Ganondorf across the ages trying to save Princess Zelda.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
The cartoon began as a preschool animation on YouTube called Fire Spike!, which was about the adventures of a dragon and his friends.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Then go back to looking at those beachfront condos with beautiful views and trendy historic lofts, all the while dreaming about your future adventures.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
The author of the memoir “Free Range Girl” on writers who revisit the struggles, adventures and heartaches of youth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
I even feel happy as I imagine setting foot in a new city and having adventures unlike anything I’ve experienced.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
Bruce: We were as basic as we could be, talking about something we’ve never fully adventured into, and rightly so.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2024
On the one hand, he tells us, the annals are haunted by “those who almost adventured, who almost achieved, but ultimately, for them, it proved to be too much.”
From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2022
I’m not sure Dave will be around in a year or two when I’m all adventured out.
From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2020
As I look back at my vanlife adventure, it blows my mind that I’ve adventured more during the first year of my 30s than almost all 29 years before.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 8, 2019
But halfway down the steps, she realized just how long it had been since she’d adventured by herself.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
That’s largely because we’ve been adventuring together since we were 7 years old.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
One date turned into three years of adventuring, monthly travels, new restaurants, cities, family weddings and concerts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 3, 2025
Jones, an adventuring archaeologist, is seen with the hat early on in the movie where he and his companions jump from a crashing plane in an inflatable raft.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2024
The original Dragon’s Dogma, from 2012, married robust combat with slow, methodical adventuring and baroque, anime-esque pomp.
From New York Times ● Mar. 21, 2024
Everyone must go adventuring sooner or later, yet finding one’s way home is not easy.
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
