afford

American  

[uh-fawrd] / əˈfɔrd /

verb (used with object)

affords, present (3rd person singular) afforded, past participle, past affording present participle

1. to be able to do, manage, or bear without serious consequence or adverse effect.

   The country can't afford another drought.

2. to be able to meet the expense of; have or be able to spare the price of.

   Can we afford a trip to Europe this year? The city can easily afford to repair the street.

3. to be able to give or spare.

   He can't afford the loss of a day.

4. to furnish; supply.

   The transaction afforded him a good profit.

5. to be capable of yielding or providing.

   The records afford no explanation.

6. to give or confer upon.

   to afford great pleasure to someone.

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afford British  

/ əˈfɔːd /

verb

1. to be able to do or spare something, esp without incurring financial difficulties or without risk of undesirable consequences

   we can afford to buy a small house

   I can afford to give you one of my chess sets

   we can't afford to miss this play

2. to give, yield, or supply

   the meeting afforded much useful information

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• affordability
  noun
• affordable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• affording
  present
• afforded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• afford
  simple
• affords
  simple
• have afforded
  perfect
• has afforded
  perfect
• am affording
  progressive
• are affording
  progressive
• is affording
  progressive
• have been affording
  perfect progressive
• has been affording
  perfect progressive

Past

• afforded
  simple
• had afforded
  perfect
• was affording
  progressive
• were affording
  progressive
• had been affording
  perfect progressive

Future

• will afford
  simple
• will have afforded
  perfect
• will be affording
  progressive
• will have been affording
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of afford

First recorded before 1050; Middle English aforthen, iforthen, Old English geforthian “to further, accomplish,” equivalent to ge- y- + forth forth + -ian infinitive suffix

Explanation

To afford means you have enough money or time for something. If you only have ten dollars on you, you can't afford to buy a twenty-dollar hat. Afford is a verb that has to do with means. You either have a surplus and therefore can afford something, or else you have a deficit and can’t. It can be in the monetary sense: "$100 for cashmere socks? I can’t afford that!” It can also refer to time: “Since my train wasn't scheduled to leave for another hour, I could afford to wait for my sister ten more minutes.” Or even access: “The castle walls afforded a wonderful view of the moat.”

Example Sentences

Samantha Stobo was fresh off a breakup and unable to afford her Manhattan two-bedroom alone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026

But she said the people who can afford to rent apartments the tax credit has produced would rather move into a market-rate apartment for similar money and with fewer rules and restrictions.

From Salon • Jul. 4, 2026

Johnny, 34, says he and his wife Lottie contribute between £250 and £400 depending on how close they are to the bride and groom and what they can afford at the time.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026

What borrowers should be focused on instead, if they can afford it, is paying the least amount over time, she said.

From MarketWatch • Jul. 1, 2026

“Unfortunately, I can’t afford it right now. You see, I’ve put money down on a house.”

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• grant
• offer
• provide