- 1[no passive] (usually used with can, could, or be able to, especially in negative sentences or questions) to have enough money or time to be able to buy or to do something afford something Can we afford a new car? None of them could afford $50 for a ticket. She felt she couldn't afford any more time off work. I'd give up work if I could afford it. afford to do something We can't afford to go on vacation this summer. She never took a taxi, even though she could afford to. afford something to do something He couldn't afford the money to go on the trip.
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- 2[no passive] (usually used with can or could, especially in negative sentences and questions) if you say that you can't afford to do something, you mean that you should not do it because it will cause problems for you if you do afford to do something We cannot afford to ignore this warning. (formal) They could ill afford to lose any more staff. afford something We cannot afford any more delays.
- 3(formal) to provide someone with something afford something The tree affords some shelter from the sun. The legislation aims to afford protection to employees. afford somebody something The program affords young people the chance to gain work experience.
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NAmE//əˈfɔrd//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they afford he / she / it affords
past simple afforded
-ing form affording
NAmE//əˌfɔrdəˈbɪlət̮i//
noun [uncountable] NAmE//əˈfɔrdəbl//
adjective affordable prices/housing opposite unaffordable Thesauruscheap- competitive
- budget
- affordable
- reasonable
- inexpensive
- cheap costing little money or less money than you expected; charging low prices. Cheap can also be used in a disapproving way to suggest that something is poor quality as well as low in price:a bottle of cheap perfume.
- competitive (of prices, goods, or services) as cheap as, or cheaper than, those offered by other companies; able to offer goods or services at competitive prices.
- budget [only before noun] (used especially in advertising) cheap because it offers only a basic level of service:a budget hotel
- affordable cheap enough for most people to afford
- reasonable (of prices) not too expensive
- inexpensive (somewhat formal) cheap Inexpensive is often used to mean that something is good value for its price. It is sometimes used instead of cheap, because cheap can suggest that something is poor quality.
- cheap/competitive/budget/affordable/reasonable prices/fares/rates
- cheap/competitive/budget/affordable/inexpensive products/services
NAmE//əˈfɔrdəbli//
affordably priced apartmentsSee afford in the Oxford Advanced Learner's DictionaryCheck pronunciation: afford