affordable
Americanadjective
noun
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
Etymology
Origin of affordable
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."
Vocabulary lists containing affordable
Michelle Obama's final address as First Lady (2017)
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History is made in PA: Clinton's DNC Acceptance Speech
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for May 7–May 13, 2022
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The launch of an affordable scooter under its EL platform from fiscal 3Q, along with a new plant, should help address the 100,000-rupee to 125,000-rupee segment of the market.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
Smith said "Alberta is the ideal North American spot for data centers thanks to affordable electricity, flexible power generation, a cooler climate and a skilled workforce."
From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026
"Get at least one affordable house, nationalising Adele and bring back Ceefax", Binface told the BBC when asked about his policies.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
As a result, shares of home builders were getting hit hard Wednesday, amid concerns higher mortgage rates would make new homes less affordable to potential buyers.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
It was the best living situation we had ever had and it was more than affordable, it was downright cheap.
From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
