meaning of eventful trip

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Definition of eventful adjective from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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[ ih- vent -f uh l ]

an exciting account of an eventful life.

Synonyms: unforgettable , memorable , noteworthy

• having important issues or results; momentous.

/ ɪˈvɛntfʊl /

an eventful day

Derived Forms

• eˈventfulness , noun
• eˈventfully , adverb

Other Words From

• e·ventful·ly adverb
• e·ventful·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of eventful 1

Example Sentences

Research assistants were tasked with describing obituaries using just 12 adjectives, such as “secure” and “comfortable” for happiness, “fulfilling” and “sense of purpose” for meaning and “dramatic” and “eventful” for psychological richness.

Very few NBA players had a more eventful 2020-21 season than Bogdan Bogdanović.

The news comes on the heels of an eventful several months for the company.

That makes this story of Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang spending a particularly eventful Halloween together the most iconic Halloween special in American TV history, one that has defined many pop culture takes on Halloween.

Mission planners intend to return the sample to Earth in September 2023, where planetary scientists will bring the full power of terrestrial research machinery to bear as they fill in even more details of Bennu’s eventful past and present.

The last three years, a period of supposed quiet, have been eventful nonetheless.

The Hermès show today was the last on my schedule, the endnote of an eventful week.

I said yes, and that choice led me down the very eventful and colorful path of adult filmmaking.

The others really do have eventful lives, though rarely touching Lawrence's directly.

Many of us remember and will ne'r forget the days from 1865 to 1875, ten eventful years in the history of our Southland.

These letters throw a clear light upon the chief psychological moments of these two eventful years of his life.

He recounted the chief services which they had, during three eventful sessions, rendered to the country.

Nothing particularly eventful had happened since last year, either in his career as professor or musical critic.

There was nothing eventful in our talk as we came down the mountain-side towards Viking—Justine Caron's presence prevented that.

All these friendly murmurs, united and mingled, began to give to the house an eventful appearance.

Related Words

All resources related to 'eventful'

Pronunciation of 'eventful'.

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Definitions of 'eventful'

Synonyms of 'eventful', collocations with the word 'eventful', examples of 'eventful'  in a sentence, translations of 'eventful', 'eventful' in other languages.

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The Story and Meaning Behind “Roundabout” by Yes, a Song that Made the Best of an Eventful Road Trip

Jim Beviglia

The next time you take a road trip, pay attention not to just the scenery, but also the traffic intersections. That’s the lesson we should take a way from Yes , because their landmark song “Roundabout” couldn’t have happened without the band taking notice of all of the above on one fateful trip.

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The song also came to life because Yes had found a sweet spot after several lineup changes, settling on a quintet that hit on all cylinders for their 1971 album Fragile . Let’s take a look back at “Roundabout,” a progressive-rock landmark.

A Fragile Peace

More than most bands, Yes didn’t hesitate to make personnel changes when the chemistry just wasn’t right. Their first two albums gained them acclaim as virtuosic players with inventive ideas, but they lacked memorable songs. Their self-titled third album, released in 1970, began to broaden their audience, helped as it was by the addition of both new guitarist Steve Howe and stronger songwriting on tracks live “I’ve Seen All Good People” and “Yours Is No Disgrace.”

But there was still some dissension in the ranks. Keyboardist Tony Kaye had fought against the idea of incorporating more ornate sounds to his arsenal, which incurred the ire of lead singer Jon Anderson, who wanted to push the band’s sound further. Yes made the decision to replace Kaye.

Rick Wakeman got the gig as the new keyboardist and began pitching in to sessions for Fragil e, which would become the band’s second album to be released in 1971. His contributions would be critical, not just to the album as a whole, but specifically to “Roundabout,” the multipronged song that would take shape as the album’s lead track and centerpiece.

An Eventful Trip

Yes was touring their previous album in March 1971 and were traveling along from one gig to another in scenic Scotland. Oddly enough, however, it wasn’t the beauty of nature that inspired Jon Anderson and Steve Howe as they looked around (although the mountains and the lake did work their way into the lyrics).

Instead, they were struck by how many roundabouts they encountered on the journey. That’s what set them off and running in writing the song. While Anderson concentrated on the lyrics, Howe set about coming up with the nifty acoustic intro. Meanwhile, the pair got together with the rest of the band and began plotting out the different sections to what would become an eight-and-a-half-minute behemoth of a song.

“Roundabout” benefits from the incredible give-and-take between all the instrumentalists. Chris Squire’s grinding bass delivers much of the forward momentum, while Howe sneaks in with his melodic flourishes on guitar. Drummer Bill Bruford is ready and waiting at every twist and turn, never losing the plot. And Wakeman delivers an incredible organ assault, at times joyous and aggressive, at times contemplative and atmospheric. It’s a thrillingly dynamic musical journey that evokes all the wonder that enveloped Anderson and Howe when they first came up with the idea.

What is the Meaning of “Roundabout”?

Jon Anderson gained a reputation as a lyricist who could be a bit elliptical with his poetry, and there’s certainly some of that to be found in “Roundabout”: Go closer hold the land, feel partly no more than grains of sand / We stand to lose all time, a thousand answers by in our hand . But ultimately, the song is about the magic of reunion: Twenty-four before my love you see / I’ll be there with you .

The idea seems to be that what should have been a mundane journey is transported into something special by the knowledge that his love is waiting. I will remember you , Anderson sings. Your silhouette will charge the view. He compares himself to a sailor looking to land after a long time away.

I’ll be your roundabout , Anderson promises to his love. If you’ve even driven in a busy roundabout, you probably know the feeling of wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. But few listeners want to stray from “Roundabout” by Yes, because the musical maelstrom it delivers engenders the best kind of dizziness.

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e•vent•ful

• adventurous
• consequential
• evening-snow
• eveningwear
• even-pinnate
• even-pinnate leaf
• even-steven
• even-stevens
• event horizon
• event matrix
• event planner
• event recorder
• event television
• event template
• event theatre
• even-tempered
• even-textured
• eventide home
• Eventilation
• even-toed ungulate
• Eventognathi
• eventration
• eventuality
• eventualize
• Eventuation
• Ever and anon
• Ever in one
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• everbearing
• everblooming
• Event-driven programming
• Event-Entity Matrix
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Synonyms of eventful

• as in important
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Thesaurus Definition of eventful

Synonyms & Similar Words

• significant
• substantial
• exceptional
• consequential
• distinguished
• earthshaking
• earth - shattering
• outstanding
• distinctive
• illustrious
• prestigious
• all - important

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unimportant
• insignificant
• inconsequential
• inconsiderable
• uncelebrated

Examples of eventful in a Sentence

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

Thesaurus Entries Near eventful

Cite this entry.

“Eventful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eventful. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

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Definition of eventful – Learner’s Dictionary

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(Definition of eventful from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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If someone has an eagle eye, they notice everything, even very small details.

Pursuing aims and meeting targets: talking about things we want to achieve

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Incentive Travel

What is incentive travel? How are incentive programs, trips, and events different from conference and meeting planning? In this section we'll look at the definition of incentive travel, including: examples of incentive travel programs, how to become an incentive travel planner, an incentive travel planner job description, career advice, employment information, and the pros and cons of being an incentive travel planner in this sector of the events industry.

A guide to incentive travel programs; definitions, descriptions, and examples.

Careers in Incentive Travel / Destination Management

Why become an incentive travel planner or destination manager? Career advice and employment information.

Being an Incentive Travel Planner

What does an incentive travel planner do? Read a real incentive travel planner job description by Martin Turner, former Director of Travel, International Travel Group, and former Global Head of Events, Credit Suisse .

Pros and Cons of Incentive Travel

Pros and cons of incentive travel by Martin Turner, former Director of Travel, International Travel Group, and former Global Head of Events, Credit Suisse .

Being a Destination Manager

What does a destination manager do? Read a real destination manager job description by Jennifer Miller, Partner and President, ACCESS Destination Services .

Pros and Cons of Destination Management Careers

Pros and cons of destination management careers by Jennifer Miller, Partner and President, ACCESS Destination Services .

MICE: Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions

Although the content of an incentive travel program is very different to other types of meetings—in that the emphasis is on entertainment, activities, and socializing—the event planning process is very similar. Meetings and incentive programs both involve location planning, destination management, co-ordinating travel and accommodation, and creating a program of supporting events.

Meeting planners often find themselves working on a mix of meetings, conferences, and incentive travel programs, and in doing so will often call upon the services of a destination manager at a DMC (Destination Management Company). Destination managers are a type of event planner who offers local knowledge and resources to meeting planners in order to help deliver events in a particular region

What Is Incentive Travel?

Incentive travel is the reward element of an incentive, recognition, or loyalty program, which takes the form of an all-expenses paid trip with a program of scheduled events and activities.

Incentive Programs

Incentive, recognition, and loyalty programs (from here on referred to as just ‘incentive programs’) are used by companies as a motivational tool to achieve certain business objectives, for example to increase sales.

Participants—which might be the company’s employees, distributors / re-sellers, or customers—usually have to qualify by achieving a certain level of performance, pre-defined by the terms of the incentive program, e.g. achieving pre-set sales targets.

Those that meet the relevant criteria are then rewarded by taking part in the incentive travel trip (sometimes referred to as the ‘award’). These are usually group trips with a set itinerary where all those qualifying take part in the same program of events and activities, however individual incentive trips are also used by some companies.

Incentive Trips/Awards

To fulfill the award, the company will use some form of event / meeting planner to co-ordinate the trip and design the itinerary, including all travel arrangements, accommodation, receptions, dinners, activities, excursions, entertainment, and special events.

Often, this will involve the meeting planner hiring a Destination Management Company (DMC), located in the city where the event is being held, to assist them in booking and managing local elements, such as restaurants, venues, transport, staffing, production, décor, entertainment, activities, and excursions.

Incentives are a very effective way to drive sales. An incentive program might be aimed at a company’s employees i.e. the sales team, or its distributors / re-sellers.

For example, a car manufacturer might create an incentive program for its dealers, whereby they have to meet a certain sales target each month. At the end of the term of the program, a year perhaps, those that made the required amount of sales will be rewarded by coming together with management executives, and the other qualifying dealers, to attend the award trip.

This might consist of a three-day trip to Monte Carlo during the Monaco Grand Prix with a cocktail reception on a yacht, a private dinner at the world famous casino, followed by leisure activities and excursions such as sailing, wine tastings, golf, or a private tour of The Prince’s Palace.

Rewards and Recognition

Group travel can also be used as part of an employee reward and recognition program. Whereas incentive programs aim to inspire or influence someone’s efforts, the purpose of rewards and recognition programs are to reinforce certain behaviors.

A qualifying employee may be deemed to be improving customer service, living the corporate values, or meeting productivity goals. A company might create a group travel program ‘award’ as a way to engage with their employees, recognize performance, and reward top achievers.

The format is similar to those held for sales incentives in that, as a reward, the emphasis is on leisure activities, excursions, group dinners, and receptions. It might be a trip to Sir Richard Branson’s private game resort, Ulusaba Lodge in South Africa, with a program that includes safaris, hot air balloon rides, helicopter tours over canyons, and outdoor dinners and receptions with the finest African cuisine.

Employee Motivation

For example, in addition to various dinners and leisure activities, one company’s program included a team building session called ‘Helping Hands’ where employees were given a box of parts and an instruction booklet. Working as a team they had to assemble an object, which later transpired to be a prosthetic hand, which was then given to a land mine victim who had lost their hand.

Customer Loyalty

Another variation of an incentive program is when group travel is used to reward customer loyalty and repeat business. I have actually been on the receiving end on an incentive program organized by the parent company of a group of event industry suppliers.

The parent company owns a caterer, a venue finding company, a staffing agency, and a technical production company—amongst others. They have an incentive program whereby their customers, event companies such as my own, Left Field Productions , have their annual spend with any of the parent company’s businesses converted into points. Once a certain amount of points is accrued, my company qualifies for between one and three places on a group travel ‘award’.

One year this included a three-day trip to Portofino, Italy, where we stayed in the luxurious Hotel Splendido, which sits on a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean and is frequented by celebrities such as Madonna, George Clooney, and Elizabeth Taylor.

The ‘incentive travel program’ is what, up until now, we have been referring to as the ‘award’; it’s the reward element of the entire ‘incentive program’. Among event planners however, the ‘award’ is generally referred to as the ‘incentive travel program’ or just the ‘travel program’. It’s not really regarded as an event, because it’s usually a lot more than that; it’s a program of events and activities over several days or even a week.

Incentive Program

The ‘incentive program’ is the entire scheme that leads up to and includes the ‘award’. The ‘incentive program’ might start up to a year in advance, often it’s unveiled at the end of the current program—perhaps at an awards dinner on the final evening—in order to build excitement.

The incentive program is often unveiled on the final night of the previous year’s incentive travel program.

Teaser Campaign

‘Teasers’ are sent out to participants to build anticipation of the official launch. For example, if the destination is going to be a beach resort, then a flip-flop might be sent to each participant with a cryptic clue attached. Promoting an incentive is all about building excitement, so often the way it is communicated needs to be creating and engaging.

Official Announcement

Official announcement, information packs, and enrolment kits are sent out for participants to ‘sign up’ to the incentive program. These packs will outline the terms and conditions of the program, with information on what is required to qualify, for example defining sales targets.

Qualification period

During this period, which could last up to a year, participants are required to meet the pre-defined criteria that would enable them to qualify for the award, for example hitting sales targets.

Mid-Program Motivation

More teasers and reminders will usually be sent out over the course of the qualifying period to encourage the participants to meet the necessary criteria.

Qualifiers Announced

Qualifiers or ‘winners’ announced. In some cases, physical trophies or other gifts are handed out at this stage, in advance of the actual ‘award’ trip. Shortly after, travel arrangements will be communicated to the qualifiers.

Guests might travel separately from different locations or, alternatively, group travel arrangements will be made where everybody takes the same flight together.

Upon arrival in the destination city, participants might be greeted at the airport by local representatives, before transferring to their hotels. Often the creative elements of the program start here.

For example, when I attended an incentive program in Monaco, we were flown from London to Nice, South of France, and had expected to be driven on to our hotel in Monte Carlo. However, on arrival in Nice, we discovered a series of helicopters had been laid on to transfer us the rest of the way.

Hotel Check-In

Participants are then greeted at the hotel, checked in, and have some time to settle in before the evening’s welcome dinner. Typically a welcome pack and gift is often left in room.

Welcome cocktail reception. An opportunity for everyone to meet and network, perhaps on a private terrace at the hotel, possibly with live entertainment from musicians and performers. Usually the meeting planner will add in a few extra creative touches to make the reception a little more special, such as a wine or tequila tasting.

Open-air dinner in the hotel’s private gardens overlooking the sea, possibly with after-dinner entertainment and/or some speeches from the hosts. Often the first evening’s dinner is held ‘on-site’ at the hotel as people are tired from travelling.

After-Dinner Drinks

Often, on the first night, this is just informal after-dinner drinks in the hotel bar as most people are tied from travelling. However, depending on the group, there might be cigars and cognac laid on, or a private lounge area with cocktails.

Breakfast at the hotel, perhaps followed by an informal meeting or presentation regarding upcoming activities.

Excursion to local attractions, sightseeing, and shopping. These might be cultural activities or the opportunity to take part in authentic ‘real life’ experiences typical of the location—such as exploring the Hutong area of Beijing by bicycle and having tea with locals in their homes.

Group lunch at a restaurant or special venue. Again, this is an opportunity for the meeting planner to get creative perhaps by obtaining access to a venue or location that's typically not accessible to the general public—such as lunch on a movie set or in private rooms at a royal palace.

Afternoon of leisure activities, which depending on the group, might be traditional activities, such as golf or a spa day. Alternatively, it could be more unusual activities like cage diving with sharks or bulldozer adventure playground days. Often, the meeting planner will try to obtain some sort of unique or VIP access, such as getting to kick around footballs with a professional team and star players at their local stadium.

Reception and Dinner

The second day's evening cocktail reception and dinner typically takes place ‘off-site’ at a restaurant or private venue, usually with entertainment. Again this might involve some sort of unusual venue, such as a USO themed event on a real naval base.

Nightclub / Casino

Option to continue on to a local nightclub/casino.

Breakfast at the hotel, perhaps followed by an informal meeting.

Excursion / Activities

More leisure activities, trips, or opportunity to experience local culture. Depending on the group, this could be anything from cave tours, to zero gravity flights at a NASA training facility, to private backstage tours of a Broadway show and an opportunity to meet the cast.

Group lunch at a restaurant or special venue.

Team Building

Team building / experiential activity—sometimes with a connection to the local community or a charity. This might be building a park in the desert for a children's home or the Helping Hand's activity mentioned previously where the group make prosthetic hands to be given to land mine victims who've lost their hand

Dinner/Dance/Awards

Cocktail reception, gala dinner, awards ceremony, and dancing ‘off-site’ at a private venue. Next year's destination/incentive program revealed.

Breakfast at hotel.

Check-out / transfers

Hotel check-out, transfers to airport.

Group lunch at a restaurant or special venue en route to airport

Return flight home

Obviously, this format only outlines the bare bones of a travel program. The challenge for the event planner is in making these programs as creative and engaging as possible—especially when you have to create something new and different every year.

The destination, accommodation, and activities might be amazing in their own right. For example, a three night trip to Hawaii with an itinerary that includes a sunset cocktail cruise, a private dinner on the beach, activities such as surfing, golf, waterfall hikes, hula lessons, and stargazing treks. It might also include excursions to the Diamond Head volcanic crater and Pearl Harbor, before a closing dinner and awards ceremony on the final night.

However, a good planner will make sure they include some extra special moments, private access to people and places, or exclusive experiences that the guests could not create themselves—either through lack of financial resources, local knowledge, contacts, or even imagination.

New Orleans

One leading incentive travel company created a trip to New Orleans for one of its clients, a Fortune 500 company. In addition to the usual 5 star accommodation and the finest local cuisine, the company added some extra touches to make the trip even more special. These included a private parade along Bourbon Street, followed by a dinner on the field of the Superdrome—where they were greeted by a marching band with their names circling on the ribbon board and their photos on the Jumbotron. They even had the chance to toss a few footballs around the pitch.

The following day, to connect with the local community, the group spent the afternoon planting trees and bushes at a newly rebuilt elementary school, which had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The playground and the landscaping that the group contributed to were the final touches to the redevelopment that had been seven years in the making.

Whether it’s providing exclusive access to something not readily available to the public, taking part in authentic ‘real life’ experiences typical of the local culture, or giving something back by connecting with the local community, those moments create memories that go far beyond being a business trip or vacation—and is what makes incentive travel work as a motivational tool.

REFERENCES 1. Anatomy of a Successful Incentive Travel Program White Paper, Melissa Van Dyke, Incentive Research Foundation

Why become an inventive travel planner or destination manager? Career advice and employment information.

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eventful adjective

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What does the adjective eventful mean?

There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective eventful , one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the adjective eventful ?

How is the adjective eventful pronounced, british english, u.s. english, where does the adjective eventful come from.

Earliest known use

early 1600s

The earliest known use of the adjective eventful is in the early 1600s.

OED's earliest evidence for eventful is from before 1616, in the writing of William Shakespeare, playwright and poet.

eventful is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: event n. , ‑ful suffix .

Nearby entries

• event, n. 1539–
• event, v.¹ 1559–1609
• event, v.² 1590–1649
• event, v.³ 1969–
• eventation, n. ?1543–1665
• event-driven, adj. 1967–
• eventer, n. 1964–
• eventerate, v. 1656–1903
• eventeration, n. 1658–1832
• event-filled, adj. 1935–
• eventful, adj. a1616–
• eventfully, adv. 1795–
• eventfulness, n. 1825–
• event horizon, n. 1956–
• eventide, n. Old English–
• eventide home, n. 1910–
• eventilate, v. 1601–1752
• eventilated, adj. 1657–1754
• eventilation, n. 1597–1856
• eventime, n. Old English–
• eventing, n.¹ c1450–1604

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for eventful, adj..

eventful, adj. was revised in March 2018.

eventful, adj. was last modified in September 2024.

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Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into eventful, adj. in September 2024.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

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Difference between AGENDA, ITINERARY, and SCHEDULE

An agenda is a list or program of things to be done. Workers who are well-organized will often have an agenda for meetings – a list of specific topics to discuss, or things to accomplish during the meeting.

If something is “on the agenda” or “on your agenda,” it means that people are willing to discuss it or work on it.

We also have the expression “a hidden agenda,” meaning a secret plan that you are hiding by pretending you have a different intention.

Some people also use the word agenda to mean their calendar. If someone asks if you are free for lunch next week, you might say, “Let me check my agenda” to find out which day you are available.

The word itinerary is a list or plan of things to do during a trip. On an organized tour, the travel agency will give the travelers an itinerary describing the different places they will go and things they will see.

A schedule is a list of things to be done at a certain time. A conference, for example, might have a schedule like this:

• Breakfast 7-9 AM
• Main speaker 9-10:30 AM
• Workshop 11-12
• Lunch 12-2 PM

Public transportation like buses and trains also have schedules. Another word for schedule, when used as a noun, is “timetable.”

Schedules can also be for long-term projects – the schedule defines what tasks must be done by a certain date. For example, the construction of a building:

• Lay the foundation – by Feb. 1
• Build the structure – by July 1
• Install the electrical systems – by August 1

If something is done or progressing faster than expected, it is “ahead of schedule” – and if something is delayed, it is “behind schedule.”

Finally, the word schedule is used as a verb for establishing an appointment or action at a certain time, for example: “I scheduled my dentist appointment for next Thursday.”

Clear up your doubts about confusing words… and use English more confidently!

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Hi, I’m Shayna. I create courses helping English as a Second Language learners become more fluent in just a few minutes a day – so they can speak English naturally and confidently in work and daily life.