What does "impute" mean?
To attribute or ascribe (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source.
Impute
/ɪmˈpjuːt/ verb
verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To attribute or ascribe (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source.
- Grammar: impute is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: ascribe, assign, attribute, accredit.
- Useful contrasts: absolve, discard, disclaim.
- Usage evidence: It is perhaps interesting to note in this connection that Fermat's Principle was found objectionable by a contemporary optics expert because it seemed to impute knowledge to the working of Nature.
How to use "impute"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "impute" 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 "impute" 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 "impute" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "impute" 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 "impute" is acting as 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 "ascribe" 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 "impute", 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
Verb
- 1 To attribute or ascribe (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source. transitive
"The teacher imputed the student's failure to his nervousness."
- 2 attribute or credit to wordnet
- 3 To ascribe (sin or righteousness) to someone by substitution. transitive
"To use the technical language of theologians, God through his grace "imputes" the merits of the crucified and risen Christ to a fallen human being who remains without inherent merit, and who without this "imputation" would not be "made" righteous at all."
- 4 attribute (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source wordnet
- 5 To take into account. transitive
"They ſerved with honour in the wars of Bajazet; but a plan of fortifying Conſtantinople excited his jealouſy: he threatened their lives; the new works were inſtantly demoliſhed; and we ſhall beſtow a praiſe, perhaps above the merit of Palæologus, if we impute this laſt humiliation as the cauſe of his death."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To attribute or credit to. transitive
"People impute great cleverness to cats."
- 7 To replace missing data with substituted values. transitive
"We will use a logistic regression model to impute values of nominal and ordinal variables and a linear regression model to impute values of continuous variables."
Example
"It is perhaps interesting to note in this connection that Fermat's Principle was found objectionable by a contemporary optics expert because it seemed to impute knowledge to the working of Nature."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "impute"?
Common synonyms include: ascribe, assign, attribute, accredit, accredited, accredits.
How do you use "impute" in a sentence?
It is perhaps interesting to note in this connection that Fermat's Principle was found objectionable by a contemporary optics expert because it seemed to impute knowledge to the working of Nature.
How do you pronounce "impute"?
Pronounced /ɪmˈpjuːt/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French imputer, from Latin imputō (“to bring into the reckoning, charge, impute”).