1
as in ascribing
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 explaining
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attributing
Liuying Cao of Parallax Films China says FilMart proved far more productive than the Berlin European Film Market, attributing the shift to economic conditions that are driving more Asian buyers toward regional events.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
And fine jewelry is currently growing on the platform at triple-digit rates, said Hsu, attributing the momentum to the intimacy and styling versatility of such pieces.
—Milena Lazazzera, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
During lockdown, when a new generation of Discord-dwelling shitposters came of age, the idea of attributing a musical form to the digital world felt more plausible.
—Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
And those predictions are slowly becoming reality as companies—especially tech firms—have started to cut sizable chunks of their workforces, attributing the layoffs to AI.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Shares of Navan have plunged 48% this year, with Jester attributing this pullback to worries about the durable growth trend and potential disruption from AI tools.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
The feud erupted after Russian oil deliveries halted in January; Hungary’s Orbán blamed Ukraine, while Kyiv denies responsibility, attributing damage to Russian drone attacks on the pipeline.
—Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
The industry is just now catching up to how exceptional milky formulas are—thanks in large part to their ability to nourish without the weight; attributing their popularity to a bigger shift towards consumers concerned with overall hair health and maintaining hydration.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
Contributor Yelena Alpert has a sneaking suspicion that these Frette slippers will last a lifetime, attributing her hypothesis to the shoe’s superior quality.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
And fine jewelry is currently growing on the platform at triple-digit rates, said Hsu, attributing the momentum to the intimacy and styling versatility of such pieces.
—Milena Lazazzera, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
During lockdown, when a new generation of Discord-dwelling shitposters came of age, the idea of attributing a musical form to the digital world felt more plausible.
—Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
And those predictions are slowly becoming reality as companies—especially tech firms—have started to cut sizable chunks of their workforces, attributing the layoffs to AI.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Shares of Navan have plunged 48% this year, with Jester attributing this pullback to worries about the durable growth trend and potential disruption from AI tools.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
The feud erupted after Russian oil deliveries halted in January; Hungary’s Orbán blamed Ukraine, while Kyiv denies responsibility, attributing damage to Russian drone attacks on the pipeline.
—Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
The industry is just now catching up to how exceptional milky formulas are—thanks in large part to their ability to nourish without the weight; attributing their popularity to a bigger shift towards consumers concerned with overall hair health and maintaining hydration.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
Contributor Yelena Alpert has a sneaking suspicion that these Frette slippers will last a lifetime, attributing her hypothesis to the shoe’s superior quality.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attributing
Verb
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Wednesday’s verdict in Los Angeles on the ninth day of jury deliberations shows the difficulty of ascribing how much social media is to blame for youths suffering varying degrees of distress.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
25 Mar. 2026
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The actress is cautious in ascribing too much power to her position.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Board member David Young suggested the county could devise some kind of explanation or message on the county’s website explaining the reason for the changes, and Gumz asked Lasky to come up with language for a potential disclaimer for the website to be considered by the committee.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
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When asked about the defective cameras in the jail and the lack of a clear timeline explaining how Epstein was able to take his own life, Blanche acknowledged mistakes.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Perot ended the chat by thanking the governor, and crediting his leadership for creating a model for how a state should be run.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
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Later in the week, the mayor’s pick to lead the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events was sued by a former employee, and the deputy mayor for community safety was abruptly fired, despite Johnson recently crediting him for his role in the city’s declining crime rate.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sheeran inserted language into the Medicaid settlement justifying the $10 million diversion on the grounds that the Hope Florida program would be expanding into Medicaid.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
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In justifying the bilateral talks, the Cuban president cited the country’s energy collapse, noting that some areas have gone more than 30 hours without power.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attributing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attributing. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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