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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To avoid these potentially destabilizing effects, military leaders will need to explain what the country stands to lose if the military devotes excess time, resources, and attention to domestic operations and fails to adhere carefully to the laws of war.—
Risa Brooks,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Apr. 2025
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If Bayern were not pursuing him, that would probably be harder to explain.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Overall, the analyst is bullish on EPD stock and views it as a core master limited partnership holding, having both offensive and defensive characteristics.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2025
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These are clones of individual grape varieties that have been bred to ensure certain characteristics, such as resistance to specific diseases.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
6 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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Officials were pressed to justify the action on Sunday morning news shows, where again the confused messaging was apparent.—
Alexandra Hutzler,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2025
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High-stakes use cases might justify a premium model, while simpler tasks could be served by more affordable options.—
Roman Vorel,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Written for the screen by Eric Randall, the feature adaptation is steeped in Bollywood references, including an awkward Groff singalong in the street, a big wedding dance number and a sweet tribute to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a 1995 romantic-comedy that links the couple.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2025
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The sultry video features music artist Foggieraw and muse Solela Malila.—
Akili King,
Essence,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Scientists create these animals by engineering DNA that matches important traits of the extinct animal into a modern animal's DNA sequence.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
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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But, according to the Spanish new outlet El Confidencial, experts from Madrid’s Prado Museum studied the work and quickly stripped the picture of its illustrious attribution.—
Daniel Cassady for ARTnews,
Robb Report,
28 Mar. 2025
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Hostile attribution bias refers to the tendency to assume hostile intent in others, which increases the likelihood of responding with anger, defensiveness or aggression.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attribute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attribute. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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