attribute (something) to (someone or something)
idiom
1
: to say that (something) is because of (someone or something)
He attributes his success to his coach.
His doctor attributes his health problems to a poor diet and a lack of exercise.
2
: to think of (something) as being a quality of (someone or something)
The study suggests that it is a mistake to attribute adult reasoning to children.
Is it right to attribute complex emotions to animals?
She attributed some importance to the research.
3
: to think of (something) as being made or created by (someone)
The poem is usually attributed to Shakespeare, but some scholars doubt that he wrote it.
Examples of attribute (something) to (someone or something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to Zillow, there were 32% more homes for sale in L.A. County than in February 2024, which experts attribute to existing homeowners who increasingly want to move rather than hold on to cheap mortgages acquired during the pandemic.
—
Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
There will be moments, in any month’s pause, where small arms clashes, or drone strikes, prove impossible to attribute to either side as the aggressor: where AI-manipulation, or faked accounts, or entirely fictitious incidents, fill the information space.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Tequila’s Growth Has Cooled, But Category Has Room To Grow
The sales growth for tequila has slowed down over the past couple of years, a trend that producers like Jose Cuervo attribute to a reset after the COVID pandemic led to an artificial spike in demand for alcohol.
—John Kell, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
The movement also comes amid declining Tesla sales in Europe, which some attribute to CEO Elon Musk's political alignment with Trump.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attribute (something) to (someone or something)
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Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
There will be moments, in any month’s pause, where small arms clashes, or drone strikes, prove impossible to attribute to either side as the aggressor: where AI-manipulation, or faked accounts, or entirely fictitious incidents, fill the information space.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025
Tequila’s Growth Has Cooled, But Category Has Room To Grow
The sales growth for tequila has slowed down over the past couple of years, a trend that producers like Jose Cuervo attribute to a reset after the COVID pandemic led to an artificial spike in demand for alcohol.
—John Kell, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
The movement also comes amid declining Tesla sales in Europe, which some attribute to CEO Elon Musk's political alignment with Trump.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attribute (something) to (someone or something)
Cite this Entry
“Attribute (something) to (someone or something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attribute%20%28something%29%20to%20%28someone%20or%20something%29. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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