ill afford

idiom

: to be unable to afford : to be unable to do (something) without having problems or being seriously harmed
She bought a new car, which she could ill afford.
We can ill afford more bad publicity.

Examples of ill afford in a Sentence

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Trading nations such as Qatar can ill afford to ignore China’s Belt and Road Initiative . Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 Yes, the Kings technically have more to play for right now than the Cavs and can ill afford to lose at all. Joe Vardon, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 The Great Recession made Rockford ground zero for underwater mortgages, draining wealth from a city that could ill afford it. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2025 Short of a miracle, the truck will remain a striking, high-profile disaster at a time when Tesla could ill afford it. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ill afford

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Cite this Entry

“Ill afford.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ill%20afford. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

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