attribute 1 of 2

1
as in to ascribe
to explain (something) as being the result of something else attributed the quick rescue to the well-trained police force

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to explain
to give the reason for or cause of a psychotherapist who's a little too quick to attribute every emotional problem or character defect to an unhappy childhood

Synonyms & Similar Words

attribute

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word attribute different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of attribute are ascribe, assign, credit, and impute. While all these words mean "to lay something to the account of a person or thing," attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign.

attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate

When might ascribe be a better fit than attribute?

The words ascribe and attribute are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters

In what contexts can assign take the place of attribute?

While in some cases nearly identical to attribute, assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period

Where would credit be a reasonable alternative to attribute?

The words credit and attribute can be used in similar contexts, but 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

When is impute a more appropriate choice than attribute?

Although the words impute and attribute have much in common, impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

tried to impute sinister motives to my actions

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 attribute
Verb
Trump’s political recovery cannot be entirely attributed to Republican-leaning pollsters. W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 29 May 2025 Despite being one of the pre-tournament favorites, the Northern Irishman performed poorly in the event, which many attribute to his need to play with a different driver than usual. Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Noun
Acosta believes former athletes have attributes that should be appealing to potential employers. Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025 The 22-year-old striker is experiencing a difficult second season at the club, yet has the raw attributes to be a good No 9. Carl Anka, New York Times, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for attribute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attribute
Verb
  • Such takes ascribe an idiot savant quality to his governance style, furthered by what appears to be the presence of the Dunning-Kruger effect, in which confidence is conflated with competence.
    Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Many persons believed the shock was due to an explosion, but investigation developed that no explosion had occurred and the tremors were finally ascribed to an earthquake.
    The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • But in the late 19th century, Finkelstein explained, women who'd worked as nurses during the Civil War, even though not part of the Union or Confederate armies, lobbied for and won the right to be buried at Arlington.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 27 May 2025
  • As a condition of invitation to the festival, breweries must have a brewer in attendance to answer questions and explain their beers.
    Don Tse, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • Besides searching for the likes of methane and ammonia, the characteristics of the planet's atmosphere discernible to JWST could point to which formation model – core accretion or disk instability – is the correct one, or even whether a brand new formation model is needed.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 June 2025
  • Key characteristics of individuals with big egos in the workplace include: Domineering behavior.
    AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Their guide, speaking to the New York Times, credited their accomplishment to a secret advantage: prior to the trip, the climbers inhaled xenon gas, which may have made their acclimatization to the low-oxygen environment of Everest easier.
    Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 29 May 2025
  • Marshall credits The Village Collection with tackling security.
    Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • But as cloud spend goes up, the need to justify cost efforts and demonstrate cost avoidance to execs will increase.
    Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • His breezy accounts betray no anxiety to justify the expense of sending him around the world.
    Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • The stylish design comes in four color options to fit nearly any space, while the 360-degree swivel feature allows for quiet, seamless movement.
    Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 4 June 2025
  • Low-cost subscriptions can offer robust features like centralized management dashboards, advanced reporting and dedicated support.
    Harry Kazakian, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Noun
  • Really, all Morgan Plus 8s are much the same, and promise a perfectly delightful driving experience, offering the most traditional British roadster traits in a car that can easily keep up in modern traffic.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 30 May 2025
  • Rethinking the meaning of de-extinction Bringing back a species like the dire wolf isn’t just a matter of getting the fur right or tweaking a few visible traits.
    Elay Shech, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • As part of Operation Endgame, BKA’s Stern attribution inherently comes in the context of a multinational law enforcement collaboration.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 31 May 2025
  • People are noticing temperatures are getting hotter but don’t always know it is being driven by climate change, said Roop Singh, head of urban and attribution at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, in a World Weather Attribution statement.
    Isabella O'Malley, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Attribute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attribute. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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