adventurous

adjective

ad·​ven·​tur·​ous əd-ˈven-ch(ə-)rəs 

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

Synonyms of adventurous

• daring
• bold
• courageous
• fearless
• brave
• adventuresome
• venturous
• enterprising
• impulsive
• hardy
• venturesome

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

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

Vindell, who was wearing a green four-leaf clover T-shirt to honor McHugh, remembered her cousin as someone who was adventurous and always smiling. — Miles J. Herszenhorn, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

Dora the Explorer Across eight increasingly adventurous seasons, Dora the Explorer taught us that active participation was not only cool but often the key to unlocking life’s great secrets. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026

Seabourn’s customer is adventurous, curious, and well-traveled. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026

Basel Social Club, an adventurous initiative that has provided counterpoint programming to the spectacle of Art Basel week in Switzerland since 2022, will launch a Japanese edition for Art Week Tokyo in November. — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

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

Kids Definition

adventurous

adjective

ad·​ven·​tur·​ous əd-ˈvench-(ə-)rəs 

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