C1verb & nounAdvanced vocabulary

attribute: meaning, pronunciation and examples

/əˈtrɪbjut/·uh-TRIB-yoot

Attribute (verb) means to say or believe that something is caused by or belongs to someone or something.

What does “attribute” mean?

  1. 1

    verbto say or believe that something is caused by or belongs to someone or something

    She attributes her success to hard work.
  2. 2

    nouna quality or feature that someone or something has

    Patience is an important attribute for a teacher.

Attribute at a glance

Part of speech
verb & noun
CEFR level
C1 (advanced)
Pronunciation
/əˈtrɪbjut/ · uh-TRIB-yoot

How to use “attribute” correctly

Stress changes: verb uh-TRIB-yoot, noun AT-ruh-byoot. Always “attribute A to B”.

Common phrases with “attribute”

  • attribute sth to sth
  • be attributed to
  • key attribute
  • personal attributes

Synonyms (similar meaning)

Word family

  • attribution
  • attributable

“attribute” is on these word lists

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