MEANING
1. to regard something as caused by, belonging to, or created by a particular source
2. A characteristic or quality belonging to someone or something.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- attribute a change to
- attribute responsibility
- attribute authorship
On the page
The authors attribute the increase to improved reporting.
Scholars attribute the anonymous essay to a provincial editor.
It is premature to attribute every difference to the policy.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- attribute / attributes
- Past tense
- attributed
- Past participle
- attributed
- Present participle
- attributing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- attribute / attributes
- Present continuous
- am/is/are attributing
- Present perfect
- have/has attributed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been attributing
- Past
- attributed
- Past continuous
- was/were attributing
- Past perfect
- had attributed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been attributing
- Future
- will attribute / attributes
- Future continuous
- will be attributing
- Future perfect
- will have attributed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been attributing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Explore related collections
Usage notes
Primary curation section: Academic. Use attribute X to Y. Attribution identifies a source; it does not by itself prove that source is correct. attribute; attributes; attributed; attributed; attributing. Related noun: attribution.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.