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
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Recent Examples of attributing
Still, the predatory hawks that used to feed on those birds haven’t returned this year, Moore said, attributing their absence to avian flu.
—
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Lord of the Rings franchise director Peter Jackson joined the billionaires club in November 2021, with Forbes attributing his financial status to selling a stake in his company, Weta Digital, for $975 million.
—Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
Substance abuse experts caution against attributing too much to any single trend, particularly when there’s limited data on the long-term effects.
—Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026
Substance abuse experts caution against attributing too much to any single trend, particularly when there's limited data on the long-term effects.
—Karen Martin, Arkansas Online, 18 Jan. 2026
Substance abuse experts caution against attributing too much to any single trend, particularly when there’s limited data on the long-term effects.
—Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
The School Board denied responsibility, instead attributing the racial imbalance to the fact that Black and White people lived in separate neighborhoods.
—Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 14 Jan. 2026
The vessel had previously sailed from Venezuela and returned to the region, Reuters reported, attributing the statement to an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
And in September, Hinton said AI will create massive unemployment and a huge rise in profits, attributing it to the capitalist system.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Lord of the Rings franchise director Peter Jackson joined the billionaires club in November 2021, with Forbes attributing his financial status to selling a stake in his company, Weta Digital, for $975 million.
—Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
Substance abuse experts caution against attributing too much to any single trend, particularly when there’s limited data on the long-term effects.
—Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026
Substance abuse experts caution against attributing too much to any single trend, particularly when there's limited data on the long-term effects.
—Karen Martin, Arkansas Online, 18 Jan. 2026
Substance abuse experts caution against attributing too much to any single trend, particularly when there’s limited data on the long-term effects.
—Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
The School Board denied responsibility, instead attributing the racial imbalance to the fact that Black and White people lived in separate neighborhoods.
—Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 14 Jan. 2026
The vessel had previously sailed from Venezuela and returned to the region, Reuters reported, attributing the statement to an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
And in September, Hinton said AI will create massive unemployment and a huge rise in profits, attributing it to the capitalist system.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attributing
Verb
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The actress is cautious in ascribing too much power to her position.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
15 Dec. 2025
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Describing African resistance to slavery as a form of fugitive politics enables us, moreover, to confront accounts that, while acknowledging the reality of the resistance of the enslaved, end up depoliticizing it by ascribing it primarily to private emotions such as fear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Therefore, telling the story in graphic form on behalf of Ukrainians themselves, explaining the preconditions for Russia’s attempts to erase Ukraine as a sovereign country and Ukrainians as an ethnic group, became extremely relevant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Nicotine use had the strongest impact on heart health, explaining 34% of the link between late bedtime and heart disease.—
Dr. Joseph Wendt,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Especially when discussing the team’s success, Reid has made a habit of crediting his staff — sometimes going as far as naming members individually.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
27 Jan. 2026
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When a regulatory expert posted online last week crediting STAT with a recent scoop on comments from ACIP’s Kirk Milhoan, one of our reporters had to correct him.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Husband-chef and wife-farmer duo Kyle and Katina Connaughton are culinary dynamos who create pure magic on every plate served at SingleThread, more than justifying the lengthy waitlist for reservations.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
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In justifying the need for the county’s investment, county Commissioner Andrew Sommerman noted the burden homeless individuals are placing on the jail, Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s buses and trains, and the Parkland Hospital emergency department.—
Tracey McManus,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attributing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attributing. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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