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

Zebrafish have become a valuable model for studying liver disease because their metabolism and liver function share important similarities with humans, while also allowing faster and more affordable experiments.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026

“As a result, boosting supply and new-home construction should focus on smaller, more affordable homes.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

They can set bus and Tube fares, and decide targets for the number of affordable homes.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget lacks funding for additional subsidized child-care slots, stalling progress on getting thousands of families access to affordable care.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

They were easily affordable, immensely appealing, practically addictive.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Related Words

• cheap
• economical