English Reference

Word

adventure

Phoneticsad·ven·ture, stress on the second syllable

US/ædˈvɛntʃɝ/

UK/ɐdvˈɛntʃɐ/

Definitions

01an exciting experience

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. an exciting, unusual, and sometimes dangerous experience or journey.

n. A daring or remarkable undertaking, typically involving risks and unforeseen events.

“The children went on an adventure in the woods behind their house.”

“Their trek across the Andes was a true adventure, fraught with unpredictable weather and logistical challenges that tested their resolve.”

Antonyms

02desire for excitement

B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. the feeling of excitement and the desire to do new things.

n. The abstract quality or spirit of seeking out new and exciting experiences.

“She was young and full of a sense of adventure.”

“The marketing campaign appealed to the consumer's sense of adventure, promising that the rugged vehicle could conquer any terrain.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

03video game genre

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Computing

n. a type of video game where the player follows a story and solves puzzles.

n. A genre of video games characterized by narrative exploration and puzzle-solving rather than reflex-based challenges.

“He spent the whole weekend playing a new graphic adventure on his computer.”

“Early text-based adventures relied heavily on the player's imagination to visualize the environments described on the screen.”

Synonyms

quest game

04to go somewhere risky

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to go somewhere that might be dangerous or to try something risky.

v. To dare to go into a potentially dangerous place or to undertake a risky task; often used intransitively.

“Few people would adventure into the deep cave without a guide.”

“The explorers decided to adventure further into the uncharted jungle, despite warnings from the local guides about the approaching monsoon.”

Usage

Often followed by a preposition like 'into' or 'out'.

Synonyms

Antonyms

05to suggest an idea

C1 · Advanced Formal

v. to say something even though you are not sure if it is right or if people will like it.

v. To dare to utter or express a thought, opinion, or suggestion, typically when one is uncertain of its reception.

“I would like to adventure a guess about why the machine stopped working.”

“The junior analyst dared to adventure a different interpretation of the data, contradicting the senior partner's long-held assumptions.”

Antonyms

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Vulgar Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *gʷem- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *gʷm̥yéti Proto-Italic *gʷənjō Vulgar Latin veniō Vulgar Latin adveniō Vulgar Latin adventūrus Vulgar Latin *adventūra Old French aventurebor. Middle English aventure English adventure From Middle English aventure, aunter, anter, from Old French aventure, from Vulgar Latin *adventūra, from Latin adventūrus (“about to arrive, (Vulgar Latin) about to happen”), future active participle of adveniō (“to arrive”), which in the Romance languages took the sense of "to happen, befall" (see also advene). By surface analysis, advent + -ure. Compare Scots adventur, Swedish äventyr, German Abenteuer.

From Middle English aventuren, auntren, from Old French aventurer, from aventure.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

NOUN

adventure(A2)

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
Frequency
Common
Level
A2 · ElementaryOxford
Updated

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