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cannot afford to
/kænˈɒfɔːd tuː/
lack the financial means to do something
She cannot afford to buy a new car right now.
She doesn't have enough money to purchase a new car at the moment.
Finance
formalinformal
To lack the financial resources or ability to pay for something
Many families cannot afford to pay for private education.
Many families do not have enough money to pay for private schooling.
The company cannot afford to hire more employees this quarter.
The company does not have the budget to recruit additional staff at this time.
This phrase is commonly used to discuss financial limitations in both personal and business contexts.
Collocations
cannot afford to paydo not have enough money to pay for somethingcannot afford to losecannot risk losing something valuable
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Financial Context
This phrase is most commonly used in financial discussions, but it can also apply to other types of limitations, such as time or resources.
Gold Rule
Correct Usage
Use 'cannot afford to' to describe a lack of financial resources for a specific action or purchase.
Word Origin
Derived from the combination of 'cannot' (negative ability) and 'afford' (to have enough money for something), with 'to' indicating the action that cannot be financially supported.
Usage Notes
This phrase is often used to express financial constraints in both personal and professional settings. It can also be used metaphorically to describe other types of limitations, such as time or resources.
Word Breakdown
cannot
negative ability
rootafford
to have enough money for something
rootto
indicates the action that cannot be financially supported
prepositionEnglish Dictionary