attribution
noun
at·tri·bu·tion
ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən 
plural attributions
1
: the act of attributing something
especially
: the ascribing of a work (as of literature or art) to a particular author or artist
2
: an ascribed quality, character, or right
Supernatural powers were attributions of the gods.
3
psychology
: the interpretive process by which people make judgments about the causes of their own behavior and the behavior of others
Psychologists have long documented what they call the fundamental attribution error, the tendency for people to explain human behavior in terms of the traits of individual actors, even when powerful situational forces are at work.—
Erica Goode
Erica GoodeExamples of attribution in a Sentence
a genuine respect for one another is one of the most commonly cited attributions of a happily married couple
Recent Examples on the Web
Transparency mechanisms such as feature attribution logging and traceable alert rationales are becoming standard components in pharmacy AI platforms.
—Ethan Stone
june 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026
The work has bounced between several attributions over the years before scholar Giuseppe Porzio identified it as a painting by Glielmo, giving bidders a fresh reason to take notice.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 3 June 2026
That means preserving edit history, attribution and version control so users can clearly trace how something evolved.
—Sourabh Pateriya, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
First-strike platform Mass drivers on the moon would operate largely outside existing early warning and attribution architectures, thereby complicating detection and response by existing early warning systems.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for attribution
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Ethan Stone
june 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2026
The work has bounced between several attributions over the years before scholar Giuseppe Porzio identified it as a painting by Glielmo, giving bidders a fresh reason to take notice.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 3 June 2026
That means preserving edit history, attribution and version control so users can clearly trace how something evolved.
—Sourabh Pateriya, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
First-strike platform Mass drivers on the moon would operate largely outside existing early warning and attribution architectures, thereby complicating detection and response by existing early warning systems.
—Leonard David, Space.com, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for attribution
Cite this Entry
“Attribution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attribution. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
attribution
noun
at·tri·bu·tion
ˌa-trə-ˈbyü-shən
: a rule in tax law that in certain cases deems property owned by one person or business entity to be owned by another or others
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