adventurer

noun

ad·​ven·​tur·​er əd-ˈven-ch(ə-)rər How to pronounce adventurer (audio)
Synonyms of adventurernext
1
: someone who seeks dangerous or exciting experiences : a person who looks for adventures: such as
a
: soldier of fortune
b
: one who engages in risky commercial enterprises for profit
2
somewhat old-fashioned : one who seeks unmerited wealth or position especially by playing on the credulity or prejudice of others

Examples of adventurer in a Sentence

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.
Harrison Ford is whipping back into blockbuster shape, as the 84-year-old is set to return as iconic adventurer Indiana Jones in a new Disney project. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Aug. 2026 The backstory L’Auberge Carmel, a Relais & Châteaux property, was built in 1929 as a commission for Allen Knight, an adventurer and author, as a way to bring together the artistic spirit of Carmel-by-the-Sea and European traditions. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026 But at South Beach, there’s truly something for everyone, including kids, adventurers, and even fishermen, who have plenty of luck on the pier. — Savannah Born, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2026 Where foreign adventurers once brought conflict to Costa Rica’s coast, a European countess left behind a sanctuary of profound peace. — Donna Hardie-Scott, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for adventurer

Word History

Etymology

adventure entry 1 or adventure entry 2 + -er entry 2, probably after Middle French aventurier, adventurier

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Rhymes for adventurer

See All Rhymes for adventurer

Browse Nearby Words

adventure playground
adventurer
adventuresome
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adventurer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adventurer. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

adventurer

noun
ad·​ven·​tur·​er əd-ˈvench-(ə-)rər How to pronounce adventurer (audio)
1
: a person who looks for adventures
2
: a person who tries to become wealthy or powerful by trickery

More from Merriam-Webster on adventurer

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for adventurer

Nglish: Translation of adventurer for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
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
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All