afforded; affording; affords
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
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
Thanks to the depth of their pitching staff, the Dodgers can afford to be patient with building up Snell.
—
Jack Vita, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Another 36% cited not being able to afford to raise a child, and 26% cited concerns about the environment.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
That’s how the rooms could afford drama school.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
Exerting pressure against politicians CTA and local union chapters maintain that these districts can afford their respective demands in each district by spending down reserves, ending expensive third-party contracts and removing administrative bloat.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for afford
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Jack Vita, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Another 36% cited not being able to afford to raise a child, and 26% cited concerns about the environment.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
That’s how the rooms could afford drama school.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
Exerting pressure against politicians CTA and local union chapters maintain that these districts can afford their respective demands in each district by spending down reserves, ending expensive third-party contracts and removing administrative bloat.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for afford
Cite this Entry
“Afford.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afford. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
afford
verb
af·ford
ə-ˈfōrd 
-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
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