adventurous
Americanadjective
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inclined or willing to engage in adventures; enjoying adventures.
- Synonyms:
- venturesome, venturous, daring, bold
-
full of risk; requiring courage; hazardous.
an adventurous undertaking.
adjective
-
Also: adventuresome. daring or enterprising
-
dangerous; involving risk
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of adventurous
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French aventureus, aventureux; equivalent to adventure ( def. ) + -ous ( def. )
Explanation
If you're adventurous, you're eager to try new things and take risks. If you can't wait to go kayaking in the Amazon and you're willing to try that stew with the weird things floating around in it, you're adventurous. Adventurous means eager for adventure, and both words come from the Latin for “about to happen” — an adventure always has an element of the unknown. Being adventurous means you’re willing to go where you haven’t been before and do things you’ve never done, even if you don’t know how it’s going to turn out.
Vocabulary lists containing adventurous
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Travel
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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.
As they've matured, their music's become more quirky and adventurous.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Díaz’s adventurous approach is that the future of Latin music does not have to be built around making itself easier to understand for outsiders.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
Who knows if Thursday’s last “Late Show” will be that adventurous?
From Salon • May 21, 2026
The adventurous nature of such sailings and the activities they provide can be riskier than a more traditional cruise and a barrier for people with certain physical limitations.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
They were exhilarated by the idea of taking a long, adventurous journey, but I knew very well how this was going to turn out.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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.
