Meaning & use
venture
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Meanings
nouncountablebusiness
A new project or business activity that involves risk and an uncertain result.
Grammar: Countable: a new venture, several ventures.
Patterns
- a venture into something
- a joint venture
Her first venture was a small bakery.
The two firms formed a joint venture in India.
Investing in start-ups is a risky venture.
verbintransitive
To go somewhere that may be dangerous or unfamiliar, often with some courage.
Grammar: Usually followed by a direction word: venture out, venture into.
Patterns
- venture out
- venture into something
Few people ventured out in the storm.
The hikers ventured deep into the forest.
She rarely ventures far from home.
verbtransitiveformal
To say or do something carefully, despite the risk of being wrong or rude.
Grammar: Takes an object such as an opinion or a guess: venture a question.
Patterns
- venture an opinion
- venture a guess
I'll venture a guess that they'll arrive late.
He ventured an opinion about the plan.
No one dared venture a comment.
Word forms
| third person singular | ventures |
|---|---|
| past tense | ventured |
| past participle | ventured |
| -ing form | venturing |
| plural | ventures |
Common combinations
- joint venture
- The two banks launched a joint venture.
- business venture
- Her business venture was a success.
- venture capital
- The start-up raised venture capital.
- venture out
- We ventured out after the rain stopped.
- venture a guess
- I would venture a guess that he is late.
- risky venture
- Opening a restaurant is a risky venture.
Synonyms and how they differ
- enterprise
- Enterprise is more formal and may suggest a larger or more energetic business effort.
- undertaking
- Undertaking emphasizes the effort and seriousness of a task, not necessarily its risk.
- dare
- Dare stresses courage in facing a challenge, whereas venture suggests moving into the unknown.
- risk
- Risk emphasizes the possibility of loss, while venture is the activity that carries it.
Opposites
Word family
- adventure noun
- an exciting or unusual experience
- venturesome adjective
- willing to take risks
- venturer noun
- someone who takes part in risky journeys or ventures
- venturous adjective
- bold and daring
Commonly confused: venture or adventure?
venture vs adventure
An adventure is an exciting experience, while a venture is a risky project, usually in business.
Practice
After the flood, few residents ___ outside their homes.
Choose one answer.
Ventured out means dared to go out. Adventured is rare, 'risked' needs an object, and 'advented' is not a word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “venture”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.