adventurous

1 of 2

adjective

ad·​ven·​tur·​ous əd-ˈven-ch(ə-)rəs How to pronounce adventurous (audio)
Synonyms of adventurous
1
a
: disposed to seek adventure or to cope with the new and unknown
an adventurous explorer
b
: innovative
an adventurous artistic style
2
: characterized by unknown dangers and risks
an adventurous journey
adventurously adverb
adventurousness noun

adventurousness

2 of 2

noun

ad·​ven·​tur·​ous·​ness
əd-ˈven-ch(ə-)rəs-nəs also ad-
plural -es
: the quality or state of being adventurous
the insatiable adventurousness of man's imagination—H. G. Wells

Synonyms of adventurous

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for adventurous

adventurous, venturesome, daring, daredevil, rash, reckless, foolhardy mean exposing oneself to danger more than required by good sense.

adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence.

adventurous pioneers

venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings.

venturesome stunt pilots

daring implies fearlessness in courting danger.

daring mountain climbers

daredevil stresses ostentation in daring.

daredevil motorcyclists

rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought.

a rash decision

reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences.

a reckless driver

foolhardy suggests a recklessness that is inconsistent with good sense.

the foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

Examples of adventurous in a Sentence

Adjective The island attracts adventurous travelers. He is an adventurous cook who is always trying new recipes. Her design is an adventurous departure from what we usually see. They have an adventurous lifestyle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
In the wake of Antonio Silva’s move to the Premier League, Benfica should suit Circati, who is also comfortable moving the ball forward through adventurous carries and long passes from defence. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 As for how a bobcat ended up in the house in the first place, Kirkland Police believe the adventurous intruder climbed a tree and jumped through an open window, possibly lured in by the resident’s indoor cat. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 Sep. 2026 The Solomons said seeking treatment overseas takes a certain type of adventurous spirit, too. — Lj Dawson, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026 These 16 slaps are lucid and adventurous, featuring random Jay Electronica warblings, DJ Quik rhythms, and a couple of surprisingly appropriate Westside Gunn vignettes. — Will Dukes, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adventurous

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

alteration (with -d- restored from Latin) of Middle English aventurous "occurring by chance, daring, seeking new exploits," borrowed from Anglo-French, from aventure adventure entry 1 + -ous -ous

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of adventurous was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

adventurist
adventurous
adventurously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adventurous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adventurous. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

adventurous

adjective
ad·​ven·​tur·​ous əd-ˈvench-(ə-)rəs How to pronounce adventurous (audio)
1
: ready to take risks or to deal with the new and unknown
adventurous explorers
2
: having unknown dangers and risks
an adventurous voyage
adventurously adverb
adventurousness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All