venture

1 of 2

verb

ven·​ture ˈven(t)-shər How to pronounce venture (audio)
ventured; venturing ˈven(t)-sh(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce venture (audio)

intransitive verb

: to proceed especially in the face of danger

transitive verb

1
: to expose to hazard : risk, gamble
ventured a buck or two on the race
2
: to undertake the risks and dangers of : brave
ventured the stormy sea
3
: to offer at the risk of rebuff, rejection, or censure
venture an opinion
venturer noun

venture

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: an undertaking involving chance, risk, or danger
especially : a speculative business enterprise
b
: a venturesome act
2
: something (such as money or property) at stake in a speculative venture
3
obsolete : destiny, fortune, chance
Phrases
at a venture
: at random
a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king1 Kings 22:34 (King James Version)

Examples of venture in a Sentence

Verb We ventured out into the woods. He nervously ventured out onto the ice. The pups never ventured far from home. The company is venturing into the computer software industry. a writer venturing on a new project The group's lead singer is now venturing on a solo career. It's important to plan carefully before venturing on a long journey. Noun a venture into the unknown their latest business venture failed big-time
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Tiger populations have rebounded so successfully, many of the big cats are venturing from India’s forest reserves into farms and villages – a monumental challenge for both people and animals. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2024 Join 1 other in the comments View Comments The probe was the first spacecraft to cross the heliosphere — the sun’s bubble of magnetic fields and particles that extends beyond planetary orbits — and venture into interstellar space, or space between stars. Katie Hunt, CNN, 21 Sep. 2024
Noun
Trump has won the backing of multiple powerful players in business, including hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, venture capitalist Peter Thiel and Tesla boss Elon Musk. Matt Egan, CNN, 24 Sep. 2024 Venu Sports, the joint sports streaming venture backed by Disney, Fox Corp. and Warner Bros. Discovery, has laid out its case to a federal appeals court, requesting permission to resume its plans to launch. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for venture 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'venture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English venteren, aphetic form of aventuren, auntren "to occur by chance, expose to risk, take a chance" — more at adventure entry 2

Noun

Middle English, aphetic form of aventure — more at adventure entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

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

Dictionary Entries Near venture

Cite this Entry

“Venture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venture. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

venture

1 of 2 verb
ven·​ture ˈven-chər How to pronounce venture (audio)
ventured; venturing ˈvench-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce venture (audio)
1
: to expose to risk
ventured a dollar on the lottery
2
: to face the risks and dangers of
ventured the stormy sea
3
: to offer at the risk of being criticized
venture an opinion
venture to disagree
4
: to go ahead in spite of danger
ventured down the cliff
venturer noun

venture

2 of 2 noun
: an undertaking involving chance, risk, or danger
especially : a speculative business enterprise

Legal Definition

venture

noun
ven·​ture
ˈven-chər
: an undertaking involving chance, risk, or danger
especially : a speculative business enterprise see also joint venture

More from Merriam-Webster on venture

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