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
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
The Great Recession made Rockford ground zero for underwater mortgages, draining wealth from a city that could ill afford it.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill afford
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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
The Great Recession made Rockford ground zero for underwater mortgages, draining wealth from a city that could ill afford it.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 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 2 Jul. 2025.
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