# adventurous

/ædˈvɛntʃɝəs/ (US) · /ɐdvˈɛntʃəɹəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/adventurous
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. willing to take risks

adjective · CEFR B1

willing to try new or difficult things, or enjoying exciting experiences.

For teachers: inclined to engage in new or risky experiences; possessing a daring or enterprising spirit.

- The adventurous travelers decided to hike through the jungle without a guide.
- An adventurous entrepreneur might see a market crash not as a disaster, but as a unique opportunity to invest in emerging technologies.

Usage: Usually describes people, their character, or their choices.

Teaching tip: In modern English, this is almost always a positive trait, suggesting courage and curiosity rather than recklessness.

### 2. full of risk or excitement

adjective · CEFR B2

full of danger, excitement, and new experiences.

For teachers: characterised by risk, hazard, or excitement; involving a series of bold or dangerous events.

- They had an adventurous trip across the mountains, despite the bad weather.
- The memoir details the author's adventurous life as a war correspondent in the late twentieth century.

Usage: Often modifies nouns like 'life', 'trip', 'journey', or 'career'.

Teaching tip: When applied to an event or period of time, it implies that many unexpected things happened.

## Examples

- She is very adventurous and loves hiking.
- He chose an adventurous route through the mountains instead of the highway.
- Her adventurous spirit drove her to explore remote cultures, seeking experiences that challenged her comfort zone and broadened her perspective.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.