attributing

Definition of attributingnext
present participle of attribute
1
as in ascribing
to explain (something) as being the result of something else attributed the quick rescue to the well-trained police force

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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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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 attributing No definitive cause was reported, though the Tribune ran one story attributing the explosion to a static spark lighting the highly flammable hydrogen gas. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026 The Virginia house of burgesses voted to thank him and the militia for their service, with the lawmakers attributing the defeat to the failure of the other colonies to come to Virginia’s aid. Literary Hub, 20 May 2026 Yeah, add that to the long list of unsupported claims about these vaccines that have ranged from various anti-vaxxers asserting that the vaccines will turn you into a gigantic magnet to attributing seemingly every celebrity illness and death during the COVID-19 pandemic to the COVID-19 vaccines. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 Slok has previously invoked Jevons paradox to explain why AI will actually create more jobs overall, despite some employers attributing layoffs to the technology. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 10 May 2026 At the time, the state geologist of Massachusetts and the American science establishment were incorrectly attributing the same landscape to an iceberg-laden catastrophic flood. Robert M. Thorson, The Conversation, 8 May 2026 The Jets tried to downplay the significance of Hellebuyck’s words, attributing them to normal emotions that follow a playoffs miss. Murat Ates, New York Times, 4 May 2026 Ross defended the decision, pointing to the budget gap and attributing part of the shortfall to the Tarrant Appraisal District delaying new home assessments until next year. Sergio Candido, CBS News, 3 May 2026 The Only Murders in the Building star previously addressed speculation about changes in her appearance and mannerisms, attributing the differences to her ongoing battle with lupus and her bipolar disorder diagnosis. Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attributing
Verb
  • The group immediate drew praise on social media for not ascribing the cancellation to anything beyond the most obvious factors.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 4 May 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • Sokoloff continued the offensive, explaining that the controller is legally mandated to annually audit affordable housing programs but has failed to do so.
    Rafael Perez, Daily News, 28 May 2026
  • While some hospitals obtain informed consent before conducting drug or alcohol testing during pregnancy or after delivery, others perform these tests without patient consent or clearly explaining the purpose and potential consequences.
    Dr. Mattie Renn, New York Daily News, 27 May 2026
Verb
  • In an interview with WWD, the Italian marveled how the average age of Formula 1 fans has roughly halved in the past five years, crediting the social media prowess and appeal of its famous young pilots, including Alpine’s own Pierre Gasly.
    Miles Socha, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
  • Every shooting victim who arrived at ORMC alive ultimately survived, Cheatham said, crediting law enforcement who pulled them out and helped transport them to the hospital so quickly.
    Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2026
Verb
  • Pilgrims describe Hajj as a once-in-a-lifetime obligation that transcends politics, justifying high costs, logistical headaches and security fears.
    Mariam Fam, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
  • Questions remain about how SpaceX is justifying its astronomical valuation.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 24 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Attributing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attributing. Accessed 30 May. 2026.

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