ascribe

verb

as·​cribe ə-ˈskrīb 

ascribed; ascribing

transitive verb

: to refer to a supposed cause, source, or author : to say or think that (something) is caused by, comes from, or is associated with a particular person or thing

These poems are usually ascribed to Homer.

They ascribe most of their success to good timing and good luck.

She ascribes no importance to having a lot of money.

ascribable

ə-ˈskrī-bə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• attribute

Choose the Right Synonym for ascribe

ascribe, attribute, assign, impute, credit mean to lay something to the account of a person or thing.

ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters

attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign.

attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate

assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period

impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

tried to impute sinister motives to my actions

credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation.

credited his teammates for his success

Examples of ascribe in a Sentence

ascribed their stunning military victory to good intelligence beforehand

Recent Examples on the Web

The brothers ascribe some of Barb’s staying power to Purser, who was working in a movie theater when the Duffer brothers cast her. —Eliana Dockterman, Time, 16 Oct. 2025

Johnson reached a similar conclusion with respect to Gaines’ attempt to ascribe state action to the NCAA. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Sep. 2025

Boelter’s motivation remains unclear, but investigators found a one-and-a-half-page letter, described as rambling and difficult to read, that was ascribed to him. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 Sep. 2025

In that vacuum, Republicans have often ascribed political bias as the motivation without providing concrete evidence to back it up, said Stevenson, the debanking expert. —Jake Pearson, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin ascribere, from ad- + scribere to write — more at scribe

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ascribe

• ascribe (something) to

Rhymes for ascribe

• describe
• imbibe
• inscribe
• prescribe
• proscribe
• subscribe
• transcribe
• bribe
• gibe
• jibe
• tribe
• vibe

Kids Definition

ascribe

verb

as·​cribe ə-ˈskrīb 

ascribed; ascribing

: to think of as coming from a specified cause, source, or author

a statement ascribed to Plato

ascribable

-ˈskrī-bə-bəl 

adjective