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
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
Short of a miracle, the truck will remain a striking, high-profile disaster at a time when Tesla could ill afford it.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025
The Rockies can ill afford to miss with pitchers given the reluctance to spend on premium free agents and inability to convince reclamation projects to take their money.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill afford
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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
Short of a miracle, the truck will remain a striking, high-profile disaster at a time when Tesla could ill afford it.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025
The Rockies can ill afford to miss with pitchers given the reluctance to spend on premium free agents and inability to convince reclamation projects to take their money.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 21 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 6 Jun. 2025.
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