Thesaurus results for ATTRIBUTE

Q: How is the word 'attribute' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of attribute are ascribe , assign , credit , and impute . While all these words mean "to lay something to the account of a person or thing," attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe , less definiteness than assign . // attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate

Q: When might 'ascribe' be a better fit than 'attribute'?

The words ascribe and attribute are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship. // forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters

Q: In what contexts can 'assign' take the place of 'attribute'?

While in some cases nearly identical to attribute , assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation. // assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period

Q: Where would 'credit' be a reasonable alternative to 'attribute'?

The words credit and attribute can be used in similar contexts, but credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation. // credited his teammates for his success

Q: When is 'impute' a more appropriate choice than 'attribute'?

Although the words impute and attribute have much in common, impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame. // tried to impute sinister motives to my actions

attribute 1 of 2

verb

ə-ˈtri-ˌbyüt

Definition of attribute

as in to ascribe

to explain (something) as being the result of something else attributed the quick rescue to the well-trained police force

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to explain

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

attribute

2 of 2

noun

ˈa-trə-ˌbyüt

as in characteristic

something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind list the attributes of a mammal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word attribute different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of attribute are ascribe, assign, credit, and impute. While all these words mean "to lay something to the account of a person or thing," attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign.

attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate

When might ascribe be a better fit than attribute?

The words ascribe and attribute are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters

In what contexts can assign take the place of attribute?

While in some cases nearly identical to attribute, assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period

Where would credit be a reasonable alternative to attribute?

The words credit and attribute can be used in similar contexts, but credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation.

credited his teammates for his success

When is impute a more appropriate choice than attribute?

Although the words impute and attribute have much in common, impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

tried to impute sinister motives to my actions

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 attribute

Verb

The lack of protest songs in today’s music industry has inspired many think pieces exploring what happened and whether it can be attributed to factors like a more general complacency among artists or fear from their record labels. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 Michigan tight end Zack Marshall apologized Tuesday after messages attributed to him criticizing offensive coordinator Jason Beck leaked on social media following the Wolverines' 20-14 loss to Minnesota. — CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Noun

Analysts attribute support for Israel in the region to deep Christian traditions woven throughout public life. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 Females pick mates based on several call attributes, including call length. — Claire Therese Hemingway, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for attribute

Recent Examples of Synonyms for attribute

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
Her presence, too, is felt in the people who now inhabit the space, like her granddaughter Charley, 25, whose easy warmth recalls qualities long ascribed to the matriarch.

— Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of ascribe

Verb

Kelly said she was impressed by Sand’s ability to not only answer complex policy questions off the cuff but also to explain the context of the issue for others in the audience who might not have been as familiar.

— Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
Faulk explained the section from the Old Applehill Road to Douglas Street is considered a limited access highway because the state does not want businesses creating their own access points.

— Lynn Kutter, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of explain

Noun

The result suggests that the crystal framework has the structural characteristics needed for fast lithium-ion transport.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
Knowing someone's baseline characteristics is not the same as knowing what that person thinks about this decision today.

— Leslie John, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of characteristic

Verb

The abundance of peep toes and funky shapes on the runway can be partly credited to a new wave of challenger brands, raising the bar for fresh, off-kilter footwear.

— Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
Although their father spent the first fifteen years of his life enslaved—a trauma like few others—Jethro’s siblings credited the lightning for their brother’s violent temper.

— Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of credit

Verb

At Wednesday’s hearing, Paul described Niembro as the most culpable of the four defendants and Ramirez as second, while acknowledging that Ramirez’s cooperation justified a significantly shorter sentence.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Rising prices could also lead shoppers to reconsider which rewards still feel small enough to justify.

— Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of justify

Noun

Some robo-advisors offer more customization and features, such as tax-loss harvesting, which uses losses to offset other portfolio gains, or automatic rebalancing.

— Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Hennekam remembers that patient to be 8 or 9, with distinctive features.

— Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of feature

Noun

The team’s brightest moment comes when Olivia realizes that Daisy has incorporated her unique personality traits, like praying repetitiously and loving the musical Annie.

— Noel Murray, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Publishers sold albums of facsimile autographs, and the interest developed into the field of graphology, the practice of analyzing a person’s handwriting to purportedly discern personality traits.

— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of trait

Noun

The allegations remain contested, with questions about attribution and the involvement of third-party intermediaries unresolved.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Unlike ordinary reporting tools, this platform also tracks actual financial results by providing revenue attribution at the SKU level to show which products consumers discover and purchase through the use of AI assistants.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of attribution

Browse Nearby Words

attracts

attribute

attributed

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Attribute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attribute. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of attribute

verb

noun

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Example Sentences

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