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 Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of affordable¹

First recorded in 1865–70; afford + -able

Example Sentences

Outside a recent Mamdani rally, Santiago, a 69-year-old retiree who did not give his last name, brandished a banner reading "we want affordable housing for our community."

Read more on Barron's

He has promised to control rising rents, improve public transit and make groceries more affordable, perhaps by selling food directly to consumers through farmer’s markets and city-owned stores.

Read more on Salon

He has put the goal of making the city affordable for everyone who are not wealthy, the majority of its approximately 8.5 million residents, at the heart of his campaign.

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Mango made its mark selling affordable, modern womenswear styles in rapidly rotating collections aimed at younger audiences.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, which represents the UK's major supermarkets, said retailers were "doing everything possible to keep food prices affordable".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• cheap 
• economical 

When To Use

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.