attribute

noun

at·tri·bute | \ ˈa-trə-ˌbyüt

Definition of attribute

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a quality, character, or characteristic ascribed to someone or something has leadership attributes

2 : an object closely associated with or belonging to a specific person, thing, or office a scepter is the attribute of power especially : such an object used for identification in painting or sculpture

3 grammar : a word ascribing a quality especially : adjective

attribute

verb

at·trib·ute | \ ə-ˈtri-ˌbyüt

, -byət\

attributed; attributing

Definition of attribute (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to explain (something) by indicating a cause He attributed his success to hard work.

2a : to regard as a characteristic of a person or thing should not attribute adult reasoning to children

b : to reckon as made or originated in an indicated fashion attributed the invention to a Russian

c : classify, designate

Other Words from attribute Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about attribute

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Choose the Right Synonym for attribute

Noun

quality, property, character, attribute mean an intelligible feature by which a thing may be identified. quality is a general term applicable to any trait or characteristic whether individual or generic. material with a silky quality property implies a characteristic that belongs to a thing's essential nature and may be used to describe a type or species. the property of not conducting heat character applies to a peculiar and distinctive quality of a thing or a class. remarks of an unseemly character attribute implies a quality ascribed to a thing or a being. the attributes of a military hero

Verb

ascribe, attribute, assign, impute, credit mean to lay something to the account of a person or thing. ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship. forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign. attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation. assigned the bones to the Cretaceous period impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame. tried to impute sinister motives to my actions 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

Did You Know?

Attribute means something rather similar to "pay tribute". So, for example, an award winner who pays tribute to an inspiring professor is, in a sense, attributing her success to the professor. Though if you attribute your fear of dogs to an incident in your childhood, you're not exactly praising the nasty dog that bit you way back when. The second sense of attribute is slightly different: If you attribute bad motives to a politician, it means you think he or she is doing things for the wrong reasons (even if you don't have any proof). When attribute is accented on its first syllable, it's being used as a noun, usually as a synonym for quality. So, for instance, you may believe that an even temper is an attribute of the best presidents, or that cheerfulness is your spouse's best attribute.

Examples of attribute in a Sentence

Noun

The interviewer asked me what I consider to be my best attribute. Both candidates possess the attributes we want in a leader.

Verb

attributed the quick rescue to the well-trained police force a psychotherapist who's a little too quick to attribute every emotional problem or character defect to an unhappy childhood

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

With all of their attributes being assessed, many are left unimpressed by their ratings. — SI.com, "Video Shows Moment Eric Dier & Davinson Sanchez Discovered Their FIFA 20 Ratings," 9 Sep. 2019 As any model knows, skin is one of your most important attributes. — Vogue, "Watch How Two Models Prep Their Skin for New York Fashion Week," 6 Sep. 2019 One of his biggest attributes is his ability to win balls and quickly find teammates with precise passes to get the Eagles moving forward. — Glenn Graham, baltimoresun.com, "2019 Baltimore-area boys soccer players to watch," 28 Aug. 2019 The teachers who knew Yafet compiled a list of his attributes. — Peter Hermann, Washington Post, "Police flagged dangerous conditions months before fatal fire at rowhouse, but D.C. inspectors failed to act," 27 Aug. 2019 Here are some of its noteworthy attributes: Murals from Nashville House Two murals with Brown County history offer an eye-catching greeting upon entry. — Domenica Bongiovanni, Indianapolis Star, "Here's what the new Brown County Music Center looks like and what to know about it," 15 Aug. 2019 Naturally, people have plenty of suggestions for how Peppa could parlay her physical attributes into a future career, perhaps in the NBA. — Raisa Bruner, Time, "Here's Everything You Need to Know About the Peppa Pig Meme," 26 July 2019 In the film, Crosby presents himself as a complicated, intelligent, and sporadically ornery figure, certain of his attributes and shortcomings; this makes him a strikingly clear-eyed narrator of his own life. — Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, "David Crosby Celebrates His Ornery Self in the Documentary “Remember My Name”," 16 July 2019 Just as notably, many Change the World companies that Fortune has recognized for other attributes have also posted noteworthy records on climate and environment. — Fortune Editors, Fortune, "The Change the World Sustainability All Stars," 19 Aug. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

San Francisco came away with two pick-sixes, which accounted for the difference in a 31-17 win in Tampa, and guys there attributed it to the pressure the front four brought. — Albert Breer, SI.com, "Eye-Opening Weekend: Lamar Jackson, Sammy Watkins, Dak Prescott and the Pats Light It Up," 9 Sep. 2019 Alabama’s piece of the media right’s pie was $46.1 million in 2018 -- $22.6 million of which was directly attributed to football. — Michael Casagrande | [email protected], al, "Some perspective on Alabama’s rare public ‘disappointment’ with football TV times," 9 Sep. 2019 Lynn Bowman, an African-American author whose written on the history of the area, told the Times-News that a third theory attributes the name to that area being a former place of African American lynchings. — Tanya A. Christian, Essence, "Signs Marking 'Negro Mountain’ Removed From Maryland Highways," 9 Sep. 2019 Effective the following day, the church was officially desanctified, according to

attribute

Definition of attribute

Other Words from attribute

Synonyms for attribute

Choose the Right Synonym for attribute

Did You Know?

Examples of attribute in a Sentence

attribute

Definition of attribute

Other Words from attribute

Synonyms for attribute

Choose the Right Synonym for attribute

Did You Know?

Examples of attribute in a Sentence

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