afford

verb
UK: /əˈfɔːd/
US: /əˈfɔːrd/

  1. To have enough money to buy something.

    1. I can't afford a new car now. [ ] [ ]
    2. Can we really afford to go on vacation this year, given our expenses? [ ] [ ]

  2. To be able to do something without causing problems.

    1. We can't afford to make any mistakes. [ ] [ ]
    2. The company cannot afford another scandal after all the negative publicity. [ ] [ ]

  3. To provide something; to give or allow.

    1. The tree affords shade in the summer. [ ] [ ]
    2. The new policy affords greater flexibility for employees to manage their time. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

manage grant allow bear spare supply provide
afford transitive-verb

  1. To manage to bear without serious detriment

    1. They cannot afford the time to attend [ ] [ ]
    2. Can she afford to spend time with her old friend? [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "afford" in English means: To have enough money to buy something., To be able to do something without causing problems., To provide something; to give or allow..

The phonetic transcription of "afford" is /əˈfɔːd/ in British English and /əˈfɔːrd/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "afford": manage, grant, allow, bear, spare, supply, provide.

Example usage of "afford": "I can't afford a new car now.". More examples on the page.