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
Charlie Campbell, Time, 3 Apr. 2025
People who share those attributes will be attracted to you.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 2 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
Whereas male social hierarchy has traditionally adhered to physical attributes like sporting prowess, girls find value in the breadth and depth of relationships.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 3 Apr. 2025
People who share those attributes will be attracted to you.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attribute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attribute
Verb
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Lu ascribes the game’s longevity to none other than community.—
Julius Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2025
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To borrow another logical principle, Hanlon's razor: Don't ascribe to malice that which can be otherwise explained by rank incompetence.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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All of that helps explain how Gordon got back up in 2011 with 45 doubles, 23 home runs and 87 RBIs to begin a five-year stretch as the best left-fielder in the game — as quantified by FanGraphs’ and Baseball-Reference’s measures of Wins Above Replacement.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
16 Mar. 2025
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It was explained to the passengers that a concentration of plankton had drawn swarms of small fish to the area; the concentration of small fish had attracted larger fish, which devoured the smaller fish; these predators attracted larger predators, to devour them.—
Joyce Carol Oates,
The New Yorker,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Verb
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The Penn State athletic department also credits former Penn State club ice hockey coach Joe Battista, a former school administrator who played a pivotal in securing the original donation from the Pegulas and oversaw the early development of the men’s and women’s D-I programs.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Though Shinn is credited with making the last big discovery, the largest piece of gold unearthed at the property was a 28-pound nugget found early on by an enslaved boy, historians said.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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On Monday, seven of the Constitutional Court's eight judges overturned or dismissed Han's impeachment, arguing that accusations against him either did not constitute legal violations or were not severe enough to justify removing him from office.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 2025
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Reminds [me] also of the aggressors' narratives for justifying many other military interventions, occupations, and annexations in world history.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
24 Mar. 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 21 Apr. 2025.
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