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
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.
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 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share