afford

verb

af·​ford ə-ˈfȯrd How to pronounce afford (audio)
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
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 adoption of this model—at every level of a firm—is difficult for many multinational companies to comprehend or even afford. Dean Debiase, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 For years, Henrik Fisker has preached the gospel of selling EVs that people can afford. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2024 Most of those apprehended are not trying to evade authorities but rather are trying to be detained by the U.S. Border Patrol, affording them a chance to seek asylum protections. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 1 Mar. 2024 What federal prosecutors want is ... the public to come to accept that the defendant was afforded fairness. Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2024 Now, buyers need to make on average $106,000 to afford a home, which is 80% more than January 2020, Zillow says. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2024 Those who crave his blend of craft, theater and subversion have largely put his troubled past in the rear view and afforded him the opportunity to continue his career in peace. Jon Caramanica, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 YouTube stars like MrBeast, whose elaborate videos get millions of clicks each month and earn him a fortune, can afford to spend thousands on Hollywood-level productions. Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 21 Feb. 2024 In a rapidly evolving economy, organizations cannot afford to make their employees choose between work and learning. Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'afford.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of afford was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near afford

Cite this Entry

“Afford.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afford. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

afford

verb
af·​ford ə-ˈfōrd How to pronounce afford (audio)
-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 How to pronounce afford (audio)
-ˈfȯrd-
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on afford

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