What does "attribute" mean?
A characteristic or quality of a thing.
Attribute
/ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A characteristic or quality of a thing.
- Grammar: attribute is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: property, account for, accredit, accredit with.
- Useful contrasts: most copying, absence, copying ethics.
- Usage evidence: We attribute Edison's success to intelligence and hard work.
How to use "attribute"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "attribute" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "attribute" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "attribute" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "attribute" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "attribute" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "property" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "attribute", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A characteristic or quality of a thing.
"His finest attribute is his kindness."
- 2 an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity wordnet
- 3 An object that is considered typical of someone or some function, in particular as an artistic convention.
"The eagle and the bolt of lightning are attributes of Jove."
- 4 a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished wordnet
- 5 A word that qualifies a noun.
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 That which is predicated or affirmed of a subject; a predicate; an accident.
- 7 An option or setting belonging to some object.
"This packet has its coherency attribute set to zero."
- 8 A semantic item with which a method or other code element may be decorated.
"Properties can be marked as obsolete with an attribute, which will cause the compiler to generate a warning if they are used."
- 9 A numeric value representing the colours of part of the screen display. dated
"[…] you can only carry two objects, your attributes clash when you walk past multi-coloured objects and your enemies fly up and down from the ceiling."
Verb
- 1 To ascribe (something) to a given cause, reason etc.; to affix. transitive
"For as this is the liquor of modern historians, nay, perhaps their muse, if we may believe the opinion of Butler, who attributes inspiration to ale, it ought likewise to be the potation of their readers, since every book ought to be read with the same spirit and in the same manner as it is writ."
- 2 attribute or credit to wordnet
- 3 To associate ownership or authorship of (something) to someone. transitive
"This poem is attributed to Browning."
- 4 decide as to where something belongs in a scheme wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"We attribute Edison's success to intelligence and hard work."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "attribute"?
Common synonyms include: property, account for, accredit, accredit with, accredited, accrediting.
How do you use "attribute" in a sentence?
We attribute Edison's success to intelligence and hard work.
How do you pronounce "attribute"?
Pronounced /ˈæt.ɹɪ.bjuːt/.
Etymology
From Latin attributus.