ascribe
To attribute something to a particular cause or source
Examples
In a meeting
“We can ascribe the sales increase to our improved marketing strategy.”
Over coffee
“I ascribe my good mood today to finally getting enough sleep.”
Why this word
attribute
ascribe and attribute are nearly identical, but ascribe often carries slightly more formal register
assign
ascribe means crediting a quality or cause to something, while assign is more about allocating or designating
blame
ascribe is neutral about attribution of any quality, while blame specifically assigns fault
Usage tip
Use when you want to identify the cause or origin of something without lengthy explanation. More formal than 'blame' or 'credit to.'
Etymology
Latin 'ascribere' — 'ad' (to) + 'scribere' (write), originally meaning to enroll or add in writing
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