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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attributing
Anthropomorphism means attributing human characteristics to non-human objects.
—
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 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
The petition cited recently enacted or attempted men’s sports program cuts at California Baptist, East Tennessee State and Clemson, attributing them squarely to the policy.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in good health and leading the country, an Iranian official said today, attributing his absence from public view to security concerns.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
For Koch, the surge of people attributing consciousness to their chatbots is no amusing matter.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
Executives at the energy companies are attributing the success to the legal work of a handful of corporate law firms, including Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Jackson Walker, Kirkland & Ellis, Baker Botts, Vinson & Elkins and Susman Godfrey.
—Mark Curriden, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
Red flags worth walking away from include dismissing symptoms without investigation, attributing everything to stress or anxiety, discouraging second opinions and making patients feel rushed.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
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
Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 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
The petition cited recently enacted or attempted men’s sports program cuts at California Baptist, East Tennessee State and Clemson, attributing them squarely to the policy.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in good health and leading the country, an Iranian official said today, attributing his absence from public view to security concerns.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
For Koch, the surge of people attributing consciousness to their chatbots is no amusing matter.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
Executives at the energy companies are attributing the success to the legal work of a handful of corporate law firms, including Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Jackson Walker, Kirkland & Ellis, Baker Botts, Vinson & Elkins and Susman Godfrey.
—Mark Curriden, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
Red flags worth walking away from include dismissing symptoms without investigation, attributing everything to stress or anxiety, discouraging second opinions and making patients feel rushed.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
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
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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The species evolved to adapt, with some growing larger and others smaller than their mainland counterparts, explaining the larger size of the island scrub-jay and the small size of the island fox.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Apr. 2026
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In 2012, Classic Media was bought by DreamWorks Animation, which in turn was acquired by Universal Pictures parent NBCUniversal in 2016, explaining why the potential Disney+ series is a co-production between DreamWorks Animation TV and UCP.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kourtney Kardashian starts every morning with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on an empty stomach, documenting the habit on Poosh and crediting it with supporting gut health and digestion.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2026
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First responders eventually airlifted the woman to safety, and deputies are now crediting Keva and Naji with saving the woman's life.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Quiet-luxury proponents would often speak of frequency of use and cost per wear in justifying a four-figure black wool sweater.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
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Military technology has become more sophisticated, but the minds justifying its use are stuck in the past.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Attributing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attributing. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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