Synonym Chooser

How does the verb afford contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of afford are bestow, confer, donate, give, and present. While all these words mean "to convey to another as a possession," 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

When is bestow a more appropriate choice than afford?

The words bestow and afford can be used in similar contexts, but bestow implies the conveying of something as a gift and may suggest condescension on the part of the giver.

bestow unwanted advice

When would confer be a good substitute for afford?

In some situations, the words confer and afford are roughly equivalent. However, confer implies a gracious giving (as of a favor or honor).

confer an honorary degree

When can donate be used instead of afford?

The words donate and afford are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, donate is likely to imply a publicized giving (as to charity).

donate a piano to the orphanage

When is it sensible to use give instead of afford?

The meanings of give and afford largely overlap; however, 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

When might present be a better fit than afford?

Although the words present and afford have much in common, present carries a note of formality and ceremony.

present an award

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of afford None of these patients received the same protection from self-harm afforded other Coloradans. Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 7 July 2025 The grizzly’s place on the list afforded them some important protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Christine Peterson, Wired News, 5 July 2025 With such a significant investment in anime, Crunchyroll and Sony can’t afford to miss the four-day Anime Expo event in Los Angeles. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 4 July 2025 The reality is, the majority of people cannot even afford to live. Ricardo Williams, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for afford
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afford
Verb
  • But everything depends on next weekend’s figures after the arrival of the first major box office threat, and the bigger the box office impact, the faster Jurassic World’s plans for a billion dollar summer may go extinct.
    Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
  • Montgomery went 3-for-5 with the first-inning RBI triple and singles in the fourth and seventh innings in his second major-league game.
    LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • So much for my hope that Jess would get a promotion!
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 8 July 2025
  • Maybe there's a path for Turner to get there eventually.
    Drew VonScio, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Afford.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afford. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

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