attributes 1 of 2

Definition of attributesnext
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

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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
Hotez attributes this to humans increasingly interacting with wildlife and their habitats, including through urbanization and deforestation. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 9 May 2026 The staff attributes the sharp jump largely to riders, or costs added to bills after the general rate is authorized. Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 8 May 2026 College football adopts some NFL attributes Such moves represent a shift in college football. Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026 But the negative stereotypes persisted, which Levine attributes to selective readings of the New Testament and a lack of knowledge of first-century Jewish history. Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 6 May 2026 His former position coach Ja’Juan Seider attributes that to Price being a student of the game who is interested in learning all that goes into bringing a call to life, not just his role in the play. Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 4 May 2026 While the Air Force and Space Force have met their 2026 recruiting targets ahead of schedule, the Pentagon attributes much of the military recruiting shortfall to a smaller pool of qualified applicants. Emily Guskin, ABC News, 1 May 2026 The Charlotte diocese attributes some of its growth to the region’s growing population overall, especially folks moving in from more traditionally Catholic areas such as the Northeast, Midwest and Latin American countries, Chandler said. Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026 PennDOT attributes the decrease in deaths to infrastructure improvements and initiatives like enforcement and education campaigns. Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
Both books feature protagonists who are out of their elements but also possess unique attributes that first get them into trouble before becoming their one slim hope to escape. John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026 That makes a lot of sense for Subaru buyers, who value those attributes. Kristin Shaw, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 Being outside of rigid categories, not beholden to dominant attributes, can be alienating. Literary Hub, 14 May 2026 But looking at players with similar characteristics in the same age range, like physical attributes, production, play-driving and other stylistic ticks, can help point to comparables and create a range of outcomes for an up-and-comer. Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 14 May 2026 AlShehail noted several attributes of Saudi fashion that are setting it apart. Fmg Studios, Footwear News, 10 May 2026 The bongos are shy and can camouflage despite their distinct white stripes, and these attributes are critical for their survival in the wild. ABC News, 9 May 2026 Berterame came to help the team and has incredible physical attributes. Miami Herald, 6 May 2026 While not the fastest nor sportiest luxury EV SUV, the Mercedes-Benz showcases the enduring carmaker’s best attributes. James Raia, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attributes
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Brewer ascribes Starbucks’ success in Italy, where even the average person is a coffee connoisseur, to offering people, especially young people, a place to relax and enjoy a coffee.
    Phil Wahba, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
  • This breakup analysis ascribes no value to the companies being under the same corporate parent.
    Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Bo-Katan explains the Mandalorians who raised Din and taught him to never show his face are religious zealots known as the Children of the Watch, who broke from Mandalorian society.
    Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 16 May 2026
  • Epigenetics explains how your behaviors and environment can affect how your genes act.
    Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Jean-Claude Manuguerra, who heads Pasteur's Environment and Infectious Risk unit, said the remaining variation appeared to reflect natural viral variation and did not seem to affect the characteristics of the virus detected among travelers.
    CBS News, CBS News, 16 May 2026
  • Flock Safety's license plate reader technology captures vehicle information, including license plates and vehicle characteristics such as make, model and color on the property.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Pimental also credits current and former Heat players for helping him throughout his ongoing ordeal.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
  • And though the pair aren't photographed together as much these days, Jenner credits her friend for ushering her into the modeling industry.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Benefits of Almonds for Heart Health While combining dark chocolate and almonds has a positive impact on heart health, each food provides distinct cardioprotective qualities that contribute to these benefits.
    Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 14 May 2026
  • The juries will hate its repetitive qualities, but the public will embrace its deep, profound, abiding grooviness.
    Glen Weldon, NPR, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • More to Explore The researchers found that faces that were rated as more attractive were rated more highly across all positive traits—not just competence, but intelligence, responsibility, and other traits—and were rated lower on all negative traits.
    Ben Ambridge, JSTOR Daily, 15 May 2026
  • Nagatitan belonged to a subgroup of sauropods that possessed bones with lots of internal air sacs and thin walls, traits that lightened their skeletons.
    Reuters, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Food and drink The Alexandar Bar is one of the hotel’s stand-out features.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
  • Its drafting features combine deterministic drafting with AI to enable complex and accurate drafting at scale.
    AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • Political discussions on social media are often dominated by competing attributions of more and more insidious motives to people on the other side.
    Mark Schroeder, The Conversation, 20 Feb. 2026
  • This post was corrected on 21 January 2021 to clarify attributions.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 12 Jan. 2021

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Cite this Entry

“Attributes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attributes. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

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