affordability

American  

[uh-fawrd-uh-bil-i-tee] / əˌfɔrd əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. the quality of being affordable.

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Explanation

Affordability is a quality of being inexpensive. Because of the affordability of the apples at the orchard, we went ahead and bought a whole bushel. The adjective affordability describes things you can afford to pay for because they don't cost too much. People move to certain neighborhoods because of the affordability of housing there, and others decide the affordability of community college makes it a great place to get an education. Sometimes this word is used to mean "cost or price," so someone might say, "The affordability of healthcare these days is just terrible!"

Example Sentences

“Higher-for-longer mortgage rates are becoming more widely accepted, and pent-up demand built over years of constrained affordability and limited inventory is beginning to assert itself,” she said in a statement.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 18, 2026

The so-called 21st Century Road to Housing Act is a bipartisan effort to increase home affordability.

From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026

Critics, however, see a different picture — one that places expensive celebrations and headline-grabbing spectacles alongside growing concerns about affordability, household budgets and the day-to-day economic pressures facing many Americans.

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026

Consumer Reports and the Consumer Federation of America said the agency’s cost estimates were “well-grounded” and that the rule was a “much needed response to the affordability crisis.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026

When he finished speaking, much of the talk in the room turned to affordability.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French