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
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.
With emerging technologies, evolving client expectations and regulatory changes colliding, firms can’t afford to fall behind. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025 If attendance remains the same as the procedural vote, Republican leaders can afford to lose two votes. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2025 Unlike some veteran teams, Columbus can afford to spend. Shayna Goldman, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025 His zero-sum view of the world affords little patience for the churn and friction and provocation that actually make for good art. Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for afford

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

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Cite this Entry

“Afford.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afford. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

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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