afford

Afford is a verb in English that primarily means to have enough money or resources to pay for something. It can also mean to be able to spare or provide something without causing undue hardship. The common constructions are afford + something (I cannot afford a new laptop) and afford to + verb (They can afford to wait). The sense can extend beyond money to being able to obtain opportunities, time, or benefits (The policy affords relief to residents).

In usage, afford is transitive and typically takes either a direct object or an infinitive clause. It does not take a prepositional object after the verb; you would say “afford the opportunity” rather than “afford an opportunity to,” and you would use “afford to do something” for actions (The company cannot afford to hire more staff). The word emphasizes whether resources permit a given purchase, action, or outcome rather than mere desire.

Etymology traces afford to Old and Middle English forms such as afordian, related to the sense of providing or supplying. The current financial sense developed over time from the broader idea of being able to furnish or offer something.

Related forms include affordable (adjective), affordability (noun), and affording (gerund). In discourse, affordability is a key concept in economics, housing, and budgeting, signaling whether prices align with income or resources. See also terms like budget and cost-benefit considerations when discussing whether something is affordable.