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
Across the country, roughly 42 million people rely on SNAP to afford groceries.
—
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
With fewer families able to afford lessons and operating costs on the rise, Jackson has had to make difficult choices just to keep his doors open.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Would this afford them stronger protections under the law related to fair use and free speech?
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Food costs are impossible, my kids can't afford rent.
—NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for afford
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Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
With fewer families able to afford lessons and operating costs on the rise, Jackson has had to make difficult choices just to keep his doors open.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Would this afford them stronger protections under the law related to fair use and free speech?
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Food costs are impossible, my kids can't afford rent.
—NPR, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for afford
Cite this Entry
“Afford.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afford. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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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