afford

verb

af·​ford ə-ˈfȯrd 

afforded; affording; affords

transitive verb

1

a

: to manage to bear without serious detriment

You can't afford to neglect your health.

b

: to be able to bear the cost of

can't afford to be out of work long

2

: to make available, give forth, or provide naturally or inevitably

The sun affords warmth to the earth.

a delay that will afford us more time

Synonyms

• go
• swing

Choose the Right Synonym for afford

give, present, donate, bestow, confer, afford mean to convey to another as a possession.

give, the general term, is applicable to any passing over of anything by any means.

give alms

gave her a ride on a pony

give my love to your mother

present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

afford implies a giving or bestowing usually as a natural or legitimate consequence of the character of the giver.

the trees afford shade

a development that affords us some hope

Examples of afford in a Sentence

We were too poor to afford a doctor.

He'll be able to afford a house next year.

Don't spend more than you can afford.

They couldn't afford new coats for the children.

We can afford waiting a while longer.

All of the rooms afford views of the lake.

He was afforded the opportunity to work for a judge.

Recent Examples on the Web

The biggest beneficiaries of AI will be small- and medium-sized businesses that can’t afford big teams to create and maintain sophisticated defenses. —Rachyl Jones, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2024

The request said Rossman had experienced a loss of income and several financial setbacks in recent months and couldn’t afford to pay to travel from Missouri to Washington. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2024

Countless Americans cannot afford to race against celestial orbits and must instead wait for the shadow of the moon to come to them. —Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2024

How could a family, or anyone, afford electively to eat outside the home? —Letters To The Editor, Orange County Register, 8 Apr. 2024

Halfway through 2023, Harwell couldn't afford to keep paying the loans and got in contact with a financial broker. —Alexandra Hardle, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2024

And there is a real question about whether globes — especially handmade orbs — remain relevant as more than works of art and history for those who can afford them. —Laurie Kellman, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024

Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District nurse Lisa Tripp said the district wants all students to get screened, and as such is encouraging students who can’t afford the $20 cost to reach out to her to see if the district or the foundation can cover it. —Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024

Lentil soup is often all the family can afford in Deir al-Balah, where market supplies are thin and food prices have rocketed. —Mohammad Al Sawalhi, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

respelling (after Latin borrowings with initial aff-) of Middle English iforthen, aforthen, going back to Old English geforðian "to send out, promote, carry out," from ge-, perfective prefix + forðian "to send out, promote," verbal derivative of forþ "forth, forward" — more at com-, forth entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing afford

• ill afford

Kids Definition

afford

verb

af·​ford ə-ˈfōrd 

-ˈfȯrd

1

: to be able to do or to bear without serious harm

you can't afford to waste your strength

2

: to be able to pay for

unable to afford a new car

3

: to supply one with : provide, furnish

tennis affords good exercise

affordable

-ˈfōrd-ə-bəl 

-ˈfȯrd-

adjective