ill afford
idiom
: to be unable to afford : to be unable to do (something) without having problems or being seriously harmed
She bought a new car, which she could ill afford.
We can ill afford more bad publicity.
Examples of ill afford in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The impact tends to be harder on low-income households that can ill afford the loss.
− Bailey Schulz
US stock futures plunge: Dow sinks as investors digest Trump's tariffs
How were foreign tariffs on US goods determined?
—
John Bacon, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
Regardless of intent, the Padres can ill afford to allow free base runners.
—Dennis Lin, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Trading nations such as Qatar can ill afford to ignore China’s Belt and Road Initiative .
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Yes, the Kings technically have more to play for right now than the Cavs and can ill afford to lose at all.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill afford
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John Bacon, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
Regardless of intent, the Padres can ill afford to allow free base runners.
—Dennis Lin, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Trading nations such as Qatar can ill afford to ignore China’s Belt and Road Initiative .
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
Yes, the Kings technically have more to play for right now than the Cavs and can ill afford to lose at all.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill afford
Cite this Entry
“Ill afford.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ill%20afford. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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