1
as in to ascribe
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 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
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as in characteristic
something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind
list the attributes of a mammal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attribute
Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Forecasters attributed the violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong winds and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf.
—Bruce Schreiner and Kristin M. Hall, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
Ryan said one of Pyke’s best attributes is her ability to not get overwhelmed by the moment.
—Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attribute
Verb
What People Are Saying The South Korean military did not attribute a motive to the North's movement but reaffirmed its readiness.
—Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Forecasters attributed the violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong winds and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf.
—Bruce Schreiner and Kristin M. Hall, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
Casas, whose primary attribute is his power, has managed only one homer so far.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
Ryan said one of Pyke’s best attributes is her ability to not get overwhelmed by the moment.
—Bobby Narang, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attribute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attribute
Verb
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Carlos Santana likes to ascribe metaphors to his music.—
Gary Graff,
Billboard,
27 Mar. 2025
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Lu ascribes the game’s longevity to none other than community.—
Julius Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The reason for the independence, the Brookings Institution explains, is that politicians tend to want lower interest rates because lower rates stimulate the economy.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
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If yes, please explain: Only at the misdemeanor level.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This is highly specific work that depends on each plantation's unique characteristics, including location, soil type, and coffee variety.—
Christopher Marquis,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Both dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide, which are part of the same chemical group, have overlapping characteristics, which is why the results can’t definitively differentiate between the two molecules, but future observations might, the study authors said.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As the investigation continued, more murders were credited to Heuermann.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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As if that were not enough, he is credited with inventing the modern sand wedges used by all players today.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The myth that trans women are a danger to cis women is a grossly transphobic stereotype with almost no real-world justification, but Rowling pins most of her anti-trans arguments on it, using her experience as a survivor of domestic abuse to justify her prejudice.—
Aja Romano,
Vox,
18 Apr. 2025
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The funding freezes and cuts have been imposed before the completion of full investigations, and different legal rationales have been offered to justify them.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This is a sprawling document of balance changes, quality-of-life tweaks, and major new features.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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Going for a cut that accentuates your best facial features and hair texture can be a foolproof way to walk out of the hair salon feeling happy.—
Julie Ricevuto,
Glamour,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Experts debated the connection, but by 2001 paleontologists uncovered early whale ankle bones that possessed traits only seen among artiodactyls.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
9 Apr. 2025
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In an era of constant change, global complexity and ever-rising expectations, trust has become the defining trait of exceptional leadership.—
Alejandro Bravo,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Build Low-Cost, Top-Of-Funnel Remarketing Audiences Most B2B companies base their PPC solely on last-click attribution in sales-lead campaigns.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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The use of random gender attribution for the survey experiment, meanwhile, shows that bias is verifiably a factor in gender gaps.—
Laura Clawson,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attribute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attribute. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
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