UNAFFORDABLE Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

unaffordable

adjective

Definition of unaffordable

as in exorbitant

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unaffordable With an influx of wealthy transplants since the pandemic, the Montana housing market has become among the most unaffordable in the nation. — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026 Jeffries blamed Republican policies for making life unaffordable in South Florida, pointing to increases in gas prices and the costs of tariffs and immigration enforcement, which has left immigrant communities living in fear. — Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 She was forcibly removed on a stretcher after the private investment company, which owns the building in Madrid’s upmarket Retito district, hiked her rent from €500 ($560) to €2,650 ($2,970) – an amount that was unaffordable for the pensioner. — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 Samuel Trachtman, a political scientist with the UC Berkeley Economy and Society Initiative, argues that despite recent legislative progress on the housing crisis, state policies are restricting growth and making California more unaffordable. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unaffordable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unaffordable

Adjective

Now Trump wants to fund Putin’s war machine in exchange for diesel fuel, which is in short supply and now comes at an exorbitant cost.

— Kevin Igoe, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
While that system didn’t require up-front game purchases, the initial pricing was exorbitant, rising to $30 for 90 days of real-time streaming access, even for games that could be purchased outright on disc for less.

— Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of exorbitant

Adjective

The costs of bringing their collections to Paris is increasingly prohibitive for smaller brands, but showing at home is not enough.

— Ashley Ogawa Clarke, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2026
But Sceye is also aiming to help provide regular cellular coverage to underserved areas where installing fiber-optic cables to provide Internet access is more economically prohibitive.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of prohibitive

Adjective

Waiting months for a store to be completed — just as customers may wait a year for an individual piece — is an anti-efficiency stance that looks uneconomic on paper but has become one of the brand’s strongest competitive advantages.

— Li Jun, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Quaise is developing the approach to reach superhot geothermal resources at depths and temperatures where conventional mechanical drilling can become difficult or uneconomical.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of uneconomic

Adjective

On the surface, paying as low as 24 cents for an hour of streaming game time doesn’t sound completely unreasonable.

— Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
If Putin rejects the framework — or, more likely, demands unreasonable changes — then the world will at least know who blocked the fledgling peace effort.

— David Ignatius, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of unreasonable

Adjective

Supporting Florida’s space industry does not need to be expensive.

— Max Harden, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
With the absence of any major AI company and relatively expensive valuations, investors have picked markets such as South Korea and Taiwan over India, experts said.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of expensive

Adjective

Bolsonaro made a tough-on-crime approach the cornerstone of his campaign and pledged to bring down food costs while Lula, trying to lure undecided voters, has invested in costly incentives.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Both player's made birdies at the 17th, but a costly miss for Ryu at the 18th allowed Yoshida to clinch it, despite the Japanese golfer also making bogey.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of costly

Adjective

Republican candidates are expected to praise the president, and try to ensure Republicans steep voter registration advantage translates to votes on Election Day November 3.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
The hiking area is extremely dangerous and known for steep inclines, loose gravel and falling rocks, according to the Italian Alpine Rescue unit, which told CNN that more than 80 people died in the Dolomites in 2026 so far.

— Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of steep

Adjective

Lin did exactly what Netflix asked, steering away from overpriced $200 million-plus, non-downstream features like Red Notice, The Irishman and The Electric State.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026
If the finger felt like a gimmick, so did the overpriced drinks — in every city and at every stop.

— Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of overpriced

Browse Nearby Words

unaffluent

unaffordable

unafraid

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“Unaffordable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unaffordable. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unaffordable

adjective

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