affordable

American  

[uh-fawr-duh-buhl] / əˈfɔr də bəl /

adjective

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

   attractive new cars at affordable prices.

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noun

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

   a variety of affordables for your gift list.

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

• affordability
  noun
• affordably
  adverb
• unaffordability
  noun
• unaffordable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of affordable

First recorded in 1865–70; afford + -able

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."

Example Sentences

I’m not convinced this second home is a good investment or affordable.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

Guests can book robot massages for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes or an hour for $1 a minute, making it more affordable than Wi Spa’s manual massage offerings.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

Self-made millionaire Fishwick made his fortune from selling vans, and founded Burnley Savings and Loan in 2011 to give local people affordable credit.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

These therapies can also be expensive and may trigger immune-related side effects, underscoring the urgent need for safer, more affordable options that can slow the disease.

From Science Daily • May 4, 2026

And that’s why I ultimately decided to take my brother’s advice and start a business that would satisfy not only my desire for affordable modest fashion, but thousands of other women’s desires as well.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Related Words

• cheap
• economical