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cannot afford
/ˈkænət əˈfɔːrd/
lack the financial means to buy or do something
She cannot afford a new car right now.
She does not have enough money to buy a new car at the moment.
informal
To lack sufficient money or resources to purchase or engage in something
Many students cannot afford to live in the city center.
Many students do not have enough money to live in the city center.
We cannot afford to waste time on this project.
We do not have the luxury of time to waste on this project.
Often used to express financial limitations or prioritization of resources.
Collocations
cannot afford toused to emphasize the consequence of not having enough money or timecannot afford itused to reject something due to financial constraints
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Financial Context
This phrase is often used in financial discussions to explain why someone cannot purchase something or engage in an activity.
Gold Rule
Correct Usage
Use 'cannot afford' to express a lack of financial means, not just a preference or choice.
Word Origin
Derived from the combination of 'cannot' (negative modal verb) and 'afford' (to have enough money for something).
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used to express financial limitations or the inability to engage in an activity due to lack of resources.
Word Breakdown
cannot
negative modal verb indicating inability
rootafford
to have enough money for something
rootEnglish Dictionary