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

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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

John Camacho Vidal, wine director at Terra Brooklyn, attributes part of Barolo’s allure to its royal history, with vineyards surrounding fairytale castles. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 2 Aug. 2026 LaFleur attributed the poor grade to players frustrations over roles and communication regarding critical feedback. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Noun

The punchy track shows Cardi calling out her haters in a playful twist, while listing off the many attributes to her name. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026 An example of this is the wood from clear-cutting an old-growth forest versus biological diversity and its function as a carbon sink, among other attributes. — Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for attribute

Recent Examples of Synonyms for attribute

Verb

One automatically ascribes fraud to results that are often predictable, even routine; the other dismisses legitimate concerns as conspiracy theories.

— Andrew E. Busch, The Conversation, 23 July 2026
But most disagreed, ascribing them to abiotic reactions and stressing that, overall, the Viking data paint a picture of a dead planet.

— Mike Wall, Space.com, 20 July 2026

Definition of ascribe

Verb

Rasa is also using AI to draft the statements that get sent to court, explaining to the judge why the expungement should be approved.

— Andrea Hsu, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
Malloy crisscrossed the state during his first few months in office, holding 17 town meetings to explain the fiscal ticking time bomb represented by unfunded pension obligations.

— Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of explain

Noun

Additionally, the breast cancer characteristics of some participants were unknown, which may have affected the data.

— Versha Pleasant, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
The companies will assess the batteries’ performance, reliability, safety, and charging characteristics under everyday driving conditions.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 30 July 2026

Definition of characteristic

Verb

Luke remains very close to both his parents, Tom and Eileen Kuechly, crediting them for teaching him how to treat people right.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 3 Aug. 2026
The arrangement appears to have kept the couple close, though Cox also credits couples therapy with strengthening their relationship.

— Louis Peitzman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of credit

Noun

Many of them feature amenities like a basketball court, weight rooms and a pool, while others may have unique features like boxing gyms or an ice rink.

— Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026
Apple might delay the full rollout of these desktop AI utilities beyond the initial Q4 2026 macOS 27 release, preferring a staggered approach to unify features across platforms, mirroring iOS.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of feature

Noun

Most attribution systems, however, remain optimized for immediate conversions.

— Zoe Soon, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Since then, the partnership has evolved to include creative measurement, audience verification and business outcomes attribution across both linear and streaming environments.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 29 July 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 5 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of attribute

verb

noun

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