Words / B2

uh-TRIB-yoot/əˈtrɪbjuːt/

To attribute something to a cause is to say that is why it happened: she attributed the win to luck. Blame and credit are more emotional everyday verbs; attribute is cooler and more academic. A second sense is the noun: a quality (patience is an attribute). Stress: verb at-TRIB-ute, noun AT-tribute. Do not use it for a simple “because” in speech.

Meaning

To say that something is caused by a particular person or thing (attribute to).

Examples

• “She attributed her success to daily practice.”
• “Doctors attributed the outbreak to contaminated water.”
• “He attributed the delay to a software fault, not to staff.”

Good to know

attribute X to Y. Verb stress on -trib-. Noun = a quality (different sense).

Near in meaning

credit

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