affordable

[ uh-fawr-duh-buhl ]

adjective

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

   attractive new cars at affordable prices.

noun

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

   a variety of affordables for your gift list.

Other Words From

• af·forda·bili·ty noun
• af·forda·bly adverb
• unaf·forda·bili·ty noun
• unaf·forda·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of affordable¹

First recorded in 1865–70; afford + -able

Example Sentences

The guidelines outline how the money will be spent — including to create and preserve affordable housing through a new “social housing” model, rental assistance, income support for seniors and eviction defense.

From Los Angeles Times

In a 15-0 vote, the council asked the city attorney to draft an ordinance to carry out that plan, which provides incentives to build both market rate and affordable units.

From Los Angeles Times

“While having health insurance is always better than not having it, the survey findings challenge the implicit assumption that health insurance in the United States buys affordable access to care.”

From Salon

After voting for Republican presidential candidates in the past, she went for Harris this year, impressed by the Democrat’s stance on affordable housing and rental assistance as Arcadia residents battle soaring housing costs.

From Los Angeles Times

“This ruling is a major win for responsible consumers who pay their credit card bills on time and businesses that want to provide affordable credit,” Maria Monaghan, who serves as counsel for the U.S.

From Salon

Related Words

• cheap
• economical

More About Affordable

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.

Where does affordable come from?

Affordable comes from the much older word afford, which derives from the Old English geforthian, meaning “to further” or “to accomplish.” The suffix -able makes it an adjective.

The verb afford can be used in many situations, and not just those involving money, as in We can’t afford to lose another player to injuries. But affordable always relates to how much something costs. If something is affordable, it is within your financial means, meaning your income level. A lot of people set a budget to determine what is affordable at a certain time. Of course, what’s affordable for one person may not be affordable for another.

Affordable is often used by marketers and advertisers when they want to emphasize that something is being offered at a low price or a price that’s lower than normal, such as during a sale. It is also often used in phrases like affordable housing to indicate that a price level has been set so that it doesn’t exceed what people are able to pay.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to affordable?

• afford (verb)
• affordability (noun)
• affordably (adverb)

What are some synonyms for affordable?

• economical
• low-cost
• reasonable (as in reasonable prices)

What are some words that share a root or word element with affordable?

• affordable housing
• Affordable Care Act

What are some words that often get used in discussing affordable?

 

• price
• cost
• inexpensive
• cheap
• purchase
• means
• budget
• income
• sale
• cost-effective
• thrifty

How is affordable used in real life?

Affordable is almost always used in the context of how much something costs or how much one is able to pay. It is often used in advertising to indicate that a product has a low price.

until I got a Xbox 360 and that was because it was cheap I wanted that PS3 but I ended up going with the more affordable option. People should just not worry about which will be more powerful. Heck the PS4 is less powerful than the Xbox One X but it’s been delivering on games.

— Manuel (@Ultra_MSV) March 19, 2020

The C920 is a pretty good and affordable choice!

— M.H. Williams (@AutomaticZen) March 22, 2020

I filed today to run for re-election in SC-06 to continue my work to make America's greatness accessible and affordable for all.

I hope you will join me in this effort. pic.twitter.com/xskEYM0A97

— Jim Clyburn SC-06 (@ClyburnSC06) March 16, 2020

 

 

Try using affordable!

Is affordable used correctly in the following sentence?

For many people, a vacation simply isn’t affordable in this economy.