attributes 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of attribute
1
as in ascribes
to explain (something) as being the result of something else attributed the quick rescue to the well-trained police force

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in explains
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

attributes

2 of 2

noun

plural of attribute

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 attributes
Verb
Hopkins attributes this to two causes; the party platforms becoming more homogenous and changes in campaign finance laws. — Rahul Mukherjee, NPR, 28 Oct. 2026 It is broken only by distant blasts that the military attributes to demining. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026 The report attributes the downtown to our devastating wildfires early in the year, as well as a decline in international tourism to the region. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026 Weavabel attributes the growth to brands seeking greater control over label artwork, translations and ordering across their supplier networks. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026 Ridout attributes this to the party’s more favorable view of the technology. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026 The outlet attributes longevity partly to pigment application and how the skin responds. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2026 Torrey attributes his great interest in collecting to his grandparents who were serious travelers. — Gay Gassmann, Architectural Digest, 19 Oct. 2026 Christian Science attributes all power to God, infinite Mind, who created all and called it good. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
While reconfiguring bedding and bath areas, sheet walls displaying Threshold and other labels are being redone to showcase the attributes of the different sheets. — David Moin, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026 The Rams displayed all those attributes Sunday in a 35-21 victory over the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026 One of Rocky’s most charming attributes, for example, came about because the puppet wasn’t working. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026 Across relevant categories, comparisons and purchase-intent prompts, models will associate certain attributes with your brand. — Lora Kratchounova, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 The study also found that daughters’ caregiving more responsive than sons’ to their own and their parents’ attributes. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 In addition, many pollsters weight samples using demographic attributes, party identification, turnout and vote choice in the most recent presidential election. — Scott Clement, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026 Females pick mates based on several call attributes, including call length. — Claire Therese Hemingway, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026 As a whole, the Bubble Guppies characters exhibit a wide range of social attributes. — Amanda Rock, Parents, 1 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attributes
Verb
  • The effect was similar to the one writer Joan Morgan ascribes to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • One automatically ascribes fraud to results that are often predictable, even routine; the other dismisses legitimate concerns as conspiracy theories.
    — Andrew E. Busch, The Conversation, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • Chenault explains how leaders can establish clear priorities when the stakes are high, encourage employees to speak up about problems, and challenge the status quo.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 27 Oct. 2026
  • This explains why my breakdown happened during perimenopause along with the unfortunate timing of a lactose intolerance diagnosis (bye-bye, calcium-rich dairy).
    — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 27 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • One account describes an unusual encounter that raises questions about the object’s flight characteristics and apparent lack of detectable heat.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Every place has its own unique characteristics and its own unique personality.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Breshears also credits her career choice to early motherhood.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Giamanco credits a teacher’s struggle with the shooter for creating his chance to intervene.
    — Russ Bynum, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Levy, now 79, credits Cheshire Academy in part with giving him the independence, curiosity and confidence to take chances, all qualities that helped carve his path to success.
    — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 29 Oct. 2026
  • But in their more than 50 million years on Earth, these maligned creatures have developed some admirable qualities, too.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Researchers have not identified which traits make someone more likely to form the antibodies, and Yang said antibody formation has not been linked to other health effects.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
  • But he’s shown to be a perfect fit in Dan Hurley’s system with many of the same traits as the beloved Huskies’ captain.
    — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 29 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • For families prioritizing space, practical features, and a more premium cabin without moving into a full-size SUV, this New Atlas writer thinks the new Atlas deserves a place on the shopping list.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The MacBook screens have always been top-notch, meeting P3 color-gamut standards despite being IPS panels, and some have adopted additional features like True Tone ambient color adjustment.
    — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Yet many appeared eager to take Feldstein’s shifting attributions at face value.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In two cases, the publishers added specific attributions, as had been required of Miller’s book.
    — Jessica Meszaros, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster