affordable

American  

[uh-fawr-duh-buhl] / əˈfɔr də bəl /

adjective

1. that can be afforded; believed to be within one's financial means.

   attractive new cars at affordable prices.

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noun

1. Usually affordables. items, expenses, etc., that one can afford.

   a variety of affordables for your gift list.

Usage

What does affordable mean? If something is affordable, it means its price is low enough that you (or most people) have enough money to buy it. Affordable is the adjective form of the verb afford. If you can afford something, you have enough money to pay for it. Much less commonly, affordable can be used as a noun meaning an item that one can afford. Example: Rachel wants to buy a luxury car, but with her budget I think she should consider a more affordable option.

Other Word Forms

• affordability
  noun
• affordably
  adverb
• unaffordability
  noun
• unaffordable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of affordable

First recorded in 1865–70; afford + -able

Explanation

If something is affordable, it's priced reasonably, and you have enough money to buy it. Your friends might be jealous that the bike you bought at a yard sale was so affordable. If you live in an affordable city, it means that rents aren't too high for most of its residents, and if you buy an affordable dinner for yourself, it doesn't cost too much. The adjective affordable can either mean "cheap," or it can imply that even if it's expensive, you have enough money to easily buy it. The verb afford is at the root, and its earliest meaning was "accomplish." Gradually, afford came to have the meaning "manage to buy."

Example Sentences

Affordable housing would be among her top priorities.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Before the Affordable Care Act came into effect in 2014, insurers in the individual market could refuse coverage to people with serious pre-existing conditions or even those in high-risk jobs.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

She runs the town's community kitchen, food bank and the Affordable Food Shop with the help of 16 volunteers aged between 14 and 79.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

There have been nearly 10 over the past couple of Congresses, including on bills to release the Epstein files and extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

Major provisions of the Affordable Care Act had also gone into effect, with young people allowed to remain longer on their parents’ insurance policies and companies prevented from capping a patient’s lifetime coverage.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

• cheap
• economical