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

Sokoloff said affordable housing units cost too much to build and he wants to work with the city to build cheaper housing more quickly.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

While many welcome the rising property values, some are concerned that the area is becoming less affordable for current residents.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

"This government is choosing safe, affordable and sustainable energy, with less dependence on fossil fuel imports and more control over our own supply," De Wever posted on X.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

That’s primarily due to optimism around the R2 midsize SUV, which will be more affordable than Rivian’s current lineup of electric vehicles that start at more than $70,000.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

To make vacations affordable, at public auction the Warden bought a bus that, oddly enough, had once been a mobile TB clinic, with a turret-like bulge in its roof to accommodate an X-ray machine.

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

Related Words

• cheap
• economical