What does afford mean?
To afford something is to have enough money, time, or resources to obtain or do it without causing oneself hardship. It is one of the most common verbs in talk about spending and budgeting, typically appearing in constructions like 'I can't afford a new car' or 'we can finally afford a holiday'. Because it expresses capacity rather than action, it usually pairs with modal verbs such as can, could, or cannot rather than standing alone. A second, more formal sense means to provide or supply something intangible, as when a vantage point affords a fine view or an occasion affords an opportunity. The word descends from Old English roots tied to carrying things out or forward, and its modern association with money reflects centuries of shifting economic life. Its derived forms, notably 'affordable' and 'affordability', are staples of housing and consumer discourse.
verbTo have enough money, time, or resources to be able to buy or do something without hardship; also, in formal use, to provide or supply something such as an opportunity or view.
- To have enough money, time, or resources to buy or do something without serious hardship.
- (Formal) To provide, give, or furnish something such as an opportunity, pleasure, or view.
"After the pay rise, she could finally afford a holiday abroad."
"We couldn't afford the rent on two salaries alone."
"The hilltop position affords a sweeping view of the valley."
'Afford' once meant simply 'to accomplish' — it took centuries of everyday money worries to turn it into the word we reach for when checking our bank balance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of afford
Afford comes from Middle English 'aforthen', itself from the Old English verb 'geforðian', meaning to carry out, accomplish, or bring to completion. That verb was formed on the Germanic root behind 'forth', which also gives us 'further' and compounds like 'forthcoming'. Originally concerned with accomplishing or advancing something, the word gradually narrowed toward its modern financial sense of having the means to do or buy something, while retaining a formal secondary sense of providing or furnishing.
Related word forms
How afford is actually used
In its dominant financial sense, afford is used almost exclusively with 'can', 'could', or a negation ('can't afford'), never as a simple transitive action verb. The older sense of 'provide' survives mainly in formal writing, often with 'affords' followed by an abstract noun.
Easily confused with afford
Effort is a noun meaning physical or mental exertion, while afford is a verb about having sufficient resources or providing something.