afford

[uh-fawrd]

verb (used with object)

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.

afford

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• affordability noun
• affordable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of afford¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of afford¹

Old English geforthian to further, promote, from forth _forth ; the Old English prefix ge- was later reduced to a-, and the modern spelling (C16) is influenced by words beginning aff-

Example Sentences

"I think there are probably issues with the private sector as well, with landlords charging really high rents that people can't afford," she said.

Read more on BBC

Freshman classes are ballooning at many four-year state universities, while schools face funding cuts that make it harder to afford all the teachers they need.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Miss Walsh has been given until November to move out and says she has been trying to find alternative places to live, but would struggle to afford anywhere in the local area.

Read more on BBC

Later, production plummeted and Bolivia almost depleted its dollar reserves to sustain a universal subsidy for fuel that it cannot afford to import.

Read more on Barron's

The French village of Bossey is home to cross-border workers, many of them Swiss nationals who cannot afford to live in Geneva.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• grant 
• offer 
• provide