afford

American  

[uh-fawrd] / əˈfɔrd /

verb (used with object)

• affords,
  present (3rd person singular)
• afforded,
  past participle,  past
• affording
  present participle

1. to be able to do, manage, or bear without serious consequence or adverse effect.

   The country can't afford another drought.

2. to be able to meet the expense of; have or be able to spare the price of.

   Can we afford a trip to Europe this year? The city can easily afford to repair the street.

3. to be able to give or spare.

   He can't afford the loss of a day.

4. to furnish; supply.

   The transaction afforded him a good profit.

5. to be capable of yielding or providing.

   The records afford no explanation.

6. to give or confer upon.

   to afford great pleasure to someone.

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afford British  

/ əˈfɔːd /

verb

1. to be able to do or spare something, esp without incurring financial difficulties or without risk of undesirable consequences

   we can afford to buy a small house

   I can afford to give you one of my chess sets

   we can't afford to miss this play

2. to give, yield, or supply

   the meeting afforded much useful information

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• affordability
  noun
• affordable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• affording
  present
• afforded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• afford
  simple
• affords
  simple
• have afforded
  perfect
• has afforded
  perfect
• am affording
  progressive
• are affording
  progressive
• is affording
  progressive
• have been affording
  perfect progressive
• has been affording
  perfect progressive

Past

• afforded
  simple
• had afforded
  perfect
• was affording
  progressive
• were affording
  progressive
• had been affording
  perfect progressive

Future

• will afford
  simple
• will have afforded
  perfect
• will be affording
  progressive
• will have been affording
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of afford

First recorded before 1050; Middle English aforthen, iforthen, Old English geforthian “to further, accomplish,” equivalent to ge- y- + forth forth + -ian infinitive suffix

Explanation

To afford means you have enough money or time for something. If you only have ten dollars on you, you can't afford to buy a twenty-dollar hat. Afford is a verb that has to do with means. You either have a surplus and therefore can afford something, or else you have a deficit and can’t. It can be in the monetary sense: "$100 for cashmere socks? I can’t afford that!” It can also refer to time: “Since my train wasn't scheduled to leave for another hour, I could afford to wait for my sister ten more minutes.” Or even access: “The castle walls afforded a wonderful view of the moat.”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

afford affords afforded affording

We couldn’t afford to buy there, so I commuted by ferry for years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

The business model was simple: You tell them how much you’re willing to invest in your new “home country,” and they tell you where you can afford to buy citizenship.

From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026

"The only thing the mam could afford to give the baby was sugar water," she said.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

The more money you have, the more you can afford to ride out stock-market turmoil.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Since I can’t afford to buy Dad that engraved picture frame until Mrs. Gilbert can afford to pay me, I decide to give him a handmade IOU.

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

But the nature of Dans’ role affords him more leeway than other appointees.

From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2026

That affords the opportunity “to make more changes without it being more impactful to the remaining members.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026

“The data affords patience for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

Major cities throughout the States have seen crushing drops in Canadian tourism and business it affords to costly enterprises like ski resorts.

From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026

The road above the town affords a panoramic view as far as the eye can'see.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Samba was afforded a generous ovation towards the end of the game when being deservedly named man of the match.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

But he acknowledges that having no spouse, children or mortgage afforded him unusual freedom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

The extended rest afforded the team will also help.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Prince Harry’s eligibility for full police protection, as afforded to other British royals and former prime ministers, was removed after the Sussexes quit royal duties in 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

Not that he couldn’t have afforded a new ring by then.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

The beats are the ideal accompaniment for Ms. Badu in her experimental mode, affording her space to work through her range of vocal styles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

In Jackson’s words, “Congress could not have meant for the guarantees it was affording to be so cavalierly swept aside.”

From Slate ● Jun. 23, 2026

If you have $2 million in investments, affording a $1 million home would be a piece of cake.

From MarketWatch ● May 11, 2026

“The first days at home with a newborn should be focused on the love, connection, and joy of an expanded family, not stress about affording diapers,” Johnson said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026

So the concrete picture and the abstract linkages of relationships fed each other, each making the other more meaningful and affording my emotions an opportunity to react to them with success and understanding.

From "Native Son" by Richard Wright

Related Words

• grant
• offer
• provide